By Sandy…..
Fighting to receive rights, benefits, or courtesies extended to other citizens is a major component of being a registered citizen in America.
In states across America, registrants are fighting to be able to live in neighborhoods where they can raise their children, to engage in freedom of speech through social media, to be protected from ex-post facto laws, and to have their voting rights restored.
Now, with the announcement of the new Pell Grants being offered to eligible inmates to enable them to secure college degrees while in prison, a new arena has opened up in which inmates with a sexual offense conviction are in danger of being excluded and face the need to fight for equality.
According to the referenced article, except for those who are serving life sentences, the only category of offenders being considered for exclusion are those with sexual offenses.
Why?
Again, according to the article, the motivation for the program is that “…research [has] shown that those prisoners who receive college education in a prison are less likely to commit future crimes…” This begs the question — do we not want those who have committed sex crimes to also be less likely to commit future ones?
The article also states, “…the program aims to give hope to thousands of prisoners to have a brighter future by taking college education….”
Well now – we can’t have those who have committed a sexual crime having hope for a brighter future, can we?
Traditionally, the arena in which registered citizens have fought and, in some cases, won their battles for equal rights is in the courtroom. It is time for that battle to move to the court of public opinion. Is there a civic-minded person who does not want the benefit of reducing future offenses be extended to those who have offended sexually as well as to those who have robbed, burned down buildings, sold drugs, and killed fellow citizens?
Or does the need to punish perpetually every sexual offender outweigh all other concerns?
As an RSO i am about to start my second year of receiving my full level Pell Grant without any issues, however may lose some after that though with our family’s income going up above minimum requirements. Doing that with my VA benefits as a vet has helped supplement my wife’s income as much as a job would – but isn’t a walk in the park with 3 kids by any means. I wish more of us could take advantage of it too!
As an RSO i am about to start my second year of receiving my full level Pell Grant without any issues, howevet may lose some after that though with our family’s income going up above minimum requirements. Doing that with my VA benefits as a vet has helped supplement my wife’s income as much as a job would – but isn’t a walk in the park with 3 kids by any means. I wish more of us could take advantage of it too!
Isnt this similar to N.C.G.S. 14-415.4(a)(2)d, this is the statute that gives felons a small hope to regain gun rights, yet that part I listed denies that to any RSO.
You know , If someone receives a SIS, you can buy guns. Shows no record
Its time to fight says Sandy but how do you fight common knowledge? Are we all fighting for all those involved or are we fighting for justice? Are we fighting for the truth or partial truth?
I know how some of you all feel as I am going thru similar situations with this registry thing but I seem to take a different perspective on all this as by nature man is evil so does that still make it right for police to do what they do?
Warnings are better than someone trying to entice you into meeting by some trickery or crafty cunning. While they might be law enforcement deceit is still deceit..
People will trick you into believing a lie which is what these sex sting operations are all about to get you to ask for sex and to meet them. I have heard of internet encounters lasting for 5 or six days or more haven’t you all.
Is that the way your friendly neighborhood police offer should be? You tell me.
These online sex stings on adult sites are very interesting. I was arrested after 5 weeks of conversation. Very tricky, lots of lies, and they did everything they could to get me to meet. I finally decided to meet at a 711, for safety reasons. In the end I was given three options: go to trial, take a felony with w/ prison life time registration, or a misdemeanor w/probation and a 10 yr non-public registration. Either way it makes finding a job really difficult.
It occurred to me recently that the true motivating factor of the sex offender laws might not be to protect the children. I think it is no mystery now that the registry does not protect children and causes more harm then good. Upon closer examination of my life as a RSO I realize I have been turned into the Ideal citizen from the government point of view. I work and pay taxes and have none of the benefits or rights that other citizens enjoy. I have been turned into a worker drone. They can take away any and all of my rights at any time on a whim. How would this work out if RSO’s all quit working and collected food stamps, welfare, and disability and just said ok if my freedoms are gone then society can support me and pay for these clear violations of the constitution. I mean really what does a RSO have to look forward to or strive for. Don’t these idiots in government know that nothing is more dangerous then a man with nothing left to lose.
I was able to get full Pell grants and complete 4 yrs of college after being released from prison in 2000. I landed a great job in another state but didn’t know how seriously wa took the registration laws. I was hunted down, arrested, jailed and lost everything. My 2nd fta conviction netted me 18 mos and i hadnt even moved.
I am currently fighting the DOC because now, a second conviction is considered a sex crime and supervision time is credited differently. My second ftr was well before the law was changed. I am being unlawfully held on community supervision while I fight this.
Perhaps we should wear shirts with giant yellow stars and a slogan “The Holocaust began with registration”
No offense to my Jewish friends but I bet that would get attention