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Important News / Announcements
General News Feed
City to alter sex offender restrictions
STOCKTON - Seemingly without a say in the matter, and with a lawsuit filed against Stockton, the City Council appears likely tonight to repeal an ordinance that restricts some movements of registered sex offenders in places frequented by children. According to a staff report included in tonight's meeting agenda, the city has no choice because recent court decisions have decreed that state law on...
Opinion: Public sex offender registries, like one created with Megan’s Law, are often unfair and ineffective: magazine editor
Jacob Sullum, senior editor at Reason magazine, writes that sex offender databases are both over- and under-inclusive, and often fail to distinguish between dangerous predators and those with nonviolent offenses. Further, one survey found that 90% of sexually abused minors were assaulted by relatives or acquaintances, not strangers. Full Opinion Piece
NJ: Parents of little girl who inspired Megan’s Law recall brutal rape, murder of their daughter 20 years later
Megan Kanka was raped and strangled by a twice-convicted sex offender across the street from her home in Hamilton Township, N.J., in July of 1994. Her parents, Maureen and Richard Kanka, pushed tirelessly for the law that alerts parents when a sexual predator moves into the neighborhood. Two decades later, the family is still haunted by the tragedy. Full Article
AUS: Queensland sex offender register: Derryn Hinch to meet with Jarrod Bleijie
BROADCASTER Derryn Hinch hopes Queensland will become the first state to adopt his model for a US-style public sex offender register. Hinch said he was due to meet with Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie tomorrow to discuss his proposal to name and shame sex offenders. Full Article
Opinion: Megan’s Law requiring sex offender registry reduces opportunities for sick people to hurt children: former NJ governor
Christine Todd Whitman, who was governor of New Jersey from 1994 to 2001, writes that she signed Megan's Law to help parents know who is living near them so they can ensure their children are safe. While the law is not a panacea, it has helped protect kids. Full Article
REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER SUES CITY OF HESPERIA; 15thLAWSUIT FILED IN 4 MONTHS [Upated with Media Link]
Registered sex offender Frank Lindsay today challenged an ordinance adopted by the City of Hesperia which prohibits him and all other registered citizens from visiting public and private locations as well as residing within that city. The lawsuit was filed after the City Council of Hesperia considered, but failed, to repeal or revise its ordinance on July 15. The scope of the City’s ordinance...
WI: Sex offender law passes after CBS 58 Investigation
MILWAUKEE -- Thanks to a CBS 58 Bottom Line Investigation Milwaukee now has a new sex offender ordinance. CBS 58's Investigative Reporter Sarah Barwacz brought the issue to lawmakers back in May after finding child predators living next to schools, daycare centers, and parks. It was legal for child predators to live next to schools and parks because there was no law against it. Some council members...
TX: Lewisville Loses Appeal on Sex Offender Ordinance
In a ruling released Tuesday, the US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed a district court ruling from last year that had dismissed a lawsuit against the City of Lewisville over the constitutionality of a city ordinance restricting where registered sex offenders can live. Full Article
VT: Lawmakers not ready to post Sex Offenders’ addresses online
Lawmakers on Tuesday held off on deciding whether the state sex offender registry is good enough to allow offenders’ addresses to be posted online. State law says an audit of the error-ridden registry must be “favorable” before the state can post home addresses of sex offenders on the Internet sex offender registry. After a 2010 audit found major problems, State Auditor Doug Hoffer last...
Sheriff’s officials conduct sex offender compliance check
Ventura County, Calif. - The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office conducted a sex offender compliance check Saturday, officials said Tuesday. Full Article
MN: The Minnesota Sex Offender Program, explained
Last week, inside a federal courtroom in St. Paul, U.S. District Court Judge Donovan Frank heard several days of testimony from a team of experts appointed to review how the state administers its Minnesota Sex Offender Program — the subject of a class action lawsuit that has raised numerous questions about the program’s constitutionality. Full Article
Sex Offender Registry Insanity
Writing at Reason’s Hit & Run blog, Lenore Skenazy passes along the story of a man caught up in a particular bizarre application of the laws requiring people register as sex offenders. Full Article
MA: National Geographic photos not child porn, court rules
The state’s highest court has tossed out a child pornography case against a convicted child rapist who had photocopies of pictures of naked children from a National Geographic magazine, a sociology textbook, and a naturist catalogue in his state prison cell. Full Article Related MA: Porn debate over National Geographic photo goes to SJC (CA RSOL) Decision
We can do better on sex offender laws
Let’s face it, we’re more sympathetic to the plights of some than others. Lost puppies and sad children rank right up there atop the sympathy scale. And at the bottom … Well, can you think of a group lower than sex offenders? It’s a tough sell, but a national conference is meeting this week in Dallas with the goal of making things a little...
Changes to sex offender ordinance worries parents
RIVERSIDE, Calif. - On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors deferred action on a proposal to repeal a Riverside County ordinance restricting where convicted sex offenders can reside and loiter, directing county staff instead to modify the law so that some of its provisions can be preserved. Full Article
Cities grapple with sex-offender code changes
HESPERIA — Reluctant to bow to state-level pressure, councilmen deferred adopting amendments to the city code about the regulation of sex offenders spurred by recent and pending court actions. With two of the city’s five councilmen on vacation, the motion to approve the amendments died on a split vote (three yes were needed to pass). Councilman Russ Blewett, who voted no, said after Tuesday’s...
I Saw a Man Get Arrested For a Sex Crime Because He Made a Scheduling Error
When I agreed to keynote the Reform Sex Offender Laws conference this week in Dallas, Texas, I didn't expect it to hit quite so close to home. But before I arrived, I got a phone call from a soft-spoken, super-articulate young man, Joshua Gravens, who is a Soros Justice Scholar based in Dallas. His specialty is the injustice of the sex offender registry and...
Lompoc council to consider changes to sex offender ordinance [UPDATED with more media and video]
Lompoc’s City Council members tonight will consider easing loitering restrictions in the city’s sex offender ordinance to conform to state law, and temporarily suspending enforcement of residency limitations for registered offenders. Full Article City Council Hearing Video (click on #9) Update 7/16: Lompoc Council OKs settlement with registered sex offender (Lompoc Record) Update 7/17: To Settle Lawsuit, Lompoc Council Agrees to Ease Restrictions for Sex Offenders (Noozhawk)
Riverside County moves to keep some sex offender limits
RIVERSIDE – Riverside County supervisors indicated Tuesday they would continue to limit where convicted sex offenders can live while repealing an ordinance saying offenders cannot go near schools and other places children gather. Full Article
WI: Judge sentences man behind arson to sex offender’s home to prison
STURGEON BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A Door County judge has sentenced a man who took part is setting fire to the home of a registered sex offender Monday to three years in prison. T.J. Hunt set fire to the home where Jason Johnson was staying back on November 2. Sturgeon Bay police say Hunt and Justin Baker claimed they set the blaze because they...