The boy’s lawyers argued that the fact that registration as a sex offender was mandatory constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. The court’s majority opinion written by Chief Justice Mark Cady found that registration for juvenile sex offenders is punishment, but is not cruel and unusual. Article – towards the bottom Decision
Read MoreTag: Iowa
IA: Convicted Sex Offender Allowed to Volunteer at Iowa Schools
[usnews.com 4/27/18] WELLMAN, Iowa (AP) — A former Iowa teacher purged from the state’s sex offender list has been allowed to volunteer at an eastern Iowa school district. The Des Moines Register reports that _____ has been helping out in the Mid-Prairie schools district, which is based in Wellman. The district granted him special permission to volunteer, after receiving letters of support. Superintendent Mark Schneider says he has informed school principals that Yo_____ der must be with another adult at all times. Read more
Read MoreIA: 2 Convicted of Sex Crimes Can’t Be Held Indefinitely
The Iowa Supreme Court has dismissed the state’s efforts to confine two men convicted for sex abuse crimes indefinitely under the state’s law allowing civil commitment of sexually violent predators. Full Article
Read MoreThe Boy On The Bus: When Sex Offender Registries Aren’t Enough
My husband carries a photo of me in his wallet tucked behind credit cards, his driver’s license and carefully folded bills. I ask him to give it to me as we stand in the reception area of the jail in Tama County, Iowa, in December 2015. He looks ready to ask: Why? Then, he silently pulls it from his wallet. Full Essay
Read MoreIA: Iowa court: offensive text photos aren’t indecent exposure
[thestate.com] DES MOINES, Iowa The Iowa Supreme Court ruled Friday that text messaging a photo of one’s genitals to another person is not indecent exposure under state law. The court ruled found that to meet the definition of the Iowa law as written, such an offensive display must be done in the physical presence of the offended person. “While we acknowledge that one can be offended by a sexually explicit image transmitted via text message, it is much easier to ‘look away’ from that image than it is to avoid…
Read MoreIA: Iowa legislator wants to move the goal posts
[handbasketnotes.blogspot.com] Iowa state representative Dean Fisher wants to solve an imaginary problem. Tier IV Sex Offender Registry – House File 163. This is a bill that I introduced during the 2017 session which I am continuing to work on. This bill addresses the problem of sex offenders that “time out” of the registry after a set number of years (usually 10 years) and then move to a new area of the state or move into Iowa from another state. Is it a problem when someone successfully serves the sentence handed…
Read MoreIA: State Rep Fisher – News from Des Moines
… Tier IV Sex Offender Registry – House File 163. This is a bill that I introduced during the 2017 session which I am continuing to work on. This bill addresses the problem of sex offenders that “time out” of the registry after a set number of years (usually 10 years) and then move to a new area of the state or move into Iowa from another state. If a sex offender has timed out, law enforcement has no way of knowing this person is in their community. This bill establishes a new…
Read MoreIA: Iowa’s High Court Rules That Despite Appeals, Sex Offenders Must Register
[iowapublicradio.org] People convicted of sex crimes are still required to register as sex offenders in Iowa even if they’re appealing their convictions, according to today’s ruling by the Iowa Supreme Court. The case centers on the appeal of Brian James Maxwell, who was hired as a youth coordinator for two churches in the Winterset area in March 2014. That month he inappropriately touched a 16-year-old girl who he met through this job. The next year Maxwell was convicted of lascivious conduct with a minor and sentenced to a year incarceration.…
Read MoreIA: Warrantless Search of Sex Offender’s Mobile Phone OK
The warrantless search of a sex offender’s mobile phone at a supervised release facility was constitutional, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit held Aug. 10. Full Article
Read MoreIA: Prosecutor agrees to settle Knoxville ‘sexting’ lawsuit
The Marion County Attorney’s Office has agreed not to bring a criminal charge against a teenage girl who sent photos of herself in her underwear to a classmate, settling a civil rights lawsuit alleging that prosecutors overstepped their bounds in trying to force her into community service and special classes. Full Article
Read MoreIA: State can’t block sex offender from having smart phone
The state can’t stop a convicted sex offender from having a smart phone or internet access, according to a ruling from the Iowa Court of Appeals. Full Article
Read MoreIA: Aging sex offenders have nowhere to go, Iowa prison director says
That’s because finding places for elderly sex offenders to live after they’ve served their time in prison is very difficult, Bartruff said Monday during a community forum in Coralville. Iowa recently had three sex offenders who had served their time, but because they had no place to go, died behind bars. Full Article
Read MoreIA: New art exhibit features Luther College graduates
Wartburg College’s Waldemar A. Schmidt Gallery exhibit “Sexy/OFFENDER” opened Jan. 9 and exhibits artwork from Byron Anway and Ben Moore, Johanna Kramer-Weston, Gallery Director and Exhibitions manager said. Kramer-Weston said the two collaborated for the exhibit because they share a fascination of classical portraiture in the age of Facebook, Snapchat and selfies. She said they pull their inspiration from magazines, criminal mugshots and media websites. “All portraits are handled with the same beauty and attention, causing the viewer to question who is the deviant, who is the social media star…
Read MoreIA: ACLU to Represent Knoxville Teen in “Sexting” Lawsuit
The ACLU of Iowa announced that it will represent a 14-year-old Knoxville, Iowa, girl who was threatened with criminal charges after texting suggestive photos of herself to a boy. As a result, a local county attorney is threatening her with sexual exploitation of a minor—herself. Full Article
Read MoreIA: Why Prosecuting a Teen Girl for Sexting Is Absurd
A 14-year-old in Iowa is facing sexual exploitation charges for sharing a suggestive photo of herself – and that’s not as rare as you might think. Full Article Related http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2016/10/05/iowa_prosecutor_might_charge_a_teen_with_sex_crimes_for_taking_a_selfie.html?wpsrc=sh_all_dt_fb_top
Read MoreIA: Sex offenders sue over Iowa’s civil commitment program
Nine men who were convicted of sex crimes, served their prison sentences and are now indefinitely confined to an Iowa mental health unit have filed a federal lawsuit against the state, claiming its civil commitment program is unconstitutional. Full Article
Read MoreIA: Sex Offender Registry marks 20th year
WATERLOO | Iowa’s Sex Offender Registry marked its 20th anniversary this year. Judging the list for effectiveness, though, depends less on longevity and more on users’ expectations. The law went into effect in 1995 and the state’s website, iowasexoffenders.com, launched five years later. Full Article
Read MoreIA: Break up Iowa’s sex-offender clusters (Opinion)
Three previously convicted sex offenders living in a west Davenport mobile home park are heading back to prison for abusing more kids. Full Op-Ed Article
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