Janice’s Journal: Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop
[4/29/21 Updated with link (see end of post)] As we approach the end of April 2021, we are waiting for the “other shoe” to drop. In fact, we are waiting…
The Sex Offender Law That Could’ve Broken the Government
Herman Gundy was a convicted sex offender who failed to register as one in Pennsylvania and New York, states in which he traveled and resided. Under the Sex Offender Notification…
Biden Administration Freezes Most Recent Regulations
[ACSOL] The Biden Administration yesterday placed a 60-day freeze on most regulations recently issued by the previous administration. The freeze applies to proposed regulations published in the Federal Register and…
New Federal COVID Bill Provides Funding for Registrant Management
[ACSOL] Congress passed a new bill yesterday that is primarily focused upon COVID issues. Hidden in that legislation, which totals more than $900 billion, is about $200 million for the…
NIJ: Tracking Sex Offenders: Federal Law, Resources Have Led to Marked Improvement of State Registries, But More Work Is Needed
[nij.ojp.gov - 11/13/20] Communities want to know when convicted sex offenders are living in their midst. For a quarter century, federal law has guaranteed communities the right to know. In…
CA Dept. of Justice Changes Registration Form, Misstates Federal Law
The California Department of Justice (CA DOJ) recently changed the state's registration form (CJIS 8102S). In doing so, it added the following sentence: "Federal law requires me to notify my…
ACSOL and Allies Submit Formal Response to Proposed SORNA Regulations
[ACSOL] Today 10 legal professionals from six different states submitted a formal response to the U.S. Department of Justice regarding proposed SORNA regulations that could adversely affect the daily lives…
Oregon Voices Submits Formal Response to Proposed SORNA Regulations
[oregonvoices.org] Oregon Voices, an organization devoted to support and advocacy for individuals and families affected by the sex offender registry, submitted yesterday its formal response to the proposed SORNA regulations issued…
Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (ATSA) Report concludes SORNA does not achieve its goals
[atsa.com - 10/1/20] PURPOSE OF THIS PAPER [from the web page]: Registration and community notification with international adoption of these policies expanding to other countries in subsequent years. Federal and…
Proposed SORNA Regulations Would Add Uncertainty to Registrants’ Lives
[ACSOL] The federal government issued proposed regulations to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) last month that, if adopted, would create uncertainty in the lives of registrants throughout…
6th Circuit Decision Requires Registration Even When State No Longer Does
The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has issued a decision, that if left unchallenged, will require some individuals convicted of a sex offense to continue to register for life even…
Federal Government Publishes Proposed Changes to SORNA
[ACSOL] The federal government yesterday published in the Federal Register proposed changes to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). The changes encompass a total of 93 pages and…
PA: Internet dissemination provision of SORNA II violates the federal prohibition against ex post facto laws
Summary from FAC: A Pennsylvania Appeals Court has found that the dissemination of persons who have been convicted of sexual offenses’ information on the internet (Megan’s Law) violates the ex…
After Epstein death, glaring loopholes in national sex offender registry raise concerns
Amid the fallout from the death of Jeffrey Epstein – compounded by sharp questions as to why he was able to live such a lavish and unencumbered life despite being…
FL: Approves Database to Publish Details of People Who Pay for Sex
The Florida legislature passed legislation within the past week, Senate Bill 540 and House Bill 851, to establish a public database that tracks people convicted of, or who have pleaded…
PA: SORNA Registration Equal to Being “In Custody”
For a federal court to consider a habeas petition, the petitioner must be “in custody” at the time the petition is filed. Past cases have found custody to include parole…
Why Should Feminists Be Against the Sex Offender Registry?
In October, the Supreme Court heard a case that was painfully ironic, considering the Kavanaugh hearings the nation had just been subjected to: a challenge to the United States’ extremely…
SCOTUS: Who Gets to Define the Crime?
Agencies have to interpret statutes to carry out the work of the administrative state. But in the hands of federal prosecutors, does interpretation amount to defining the crime itself? Herman…