NARSOL asks administration to use them as resource in criminal justice reform issues
In late February, 2021, the NARSOL board members decided to appeal to key members of the new administration regarding sexual offense issues as they impact overall criminal justice reform. The resultant letter was mailed by U.S. certified mail on March 17 and then sent also by email to three individuals: Mr. Mike Donilon, Senior Advisor to the President; Mr. Steven J. Ricchetti, Counselor to the President; and Mr. Ronald Alan Klain, Chief of Staff. The text of the letter follows; as of yet there has been no response.
Dear __________,
The National Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (NARSOL) shares with you and with President Biden the vision for a better America for all people, the vision about which he spoke in his inauguration speech when he said, “. . . an American story of hope, not fear; of unity, not division; of light, not darkness; a story of decency and dignity, love and healing, greatness and goodness,” and Amanda Gorman, in like manner, spoke of, “. . . a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and conditions of man.” This is our vision for our country also. We share the wish of our president for just such an America.
NARSOL is a national organization that advocates for the rights of citizens who are and have been for many years systemically denied the opportunity for unity and healing, persons with previous sexual offense convictions, citizens required to affix their names to the sex offense registry and publicly bear the label of “sex offender.”
For decades, too many of those with sexual crime convictions in their past have been excluded from the country of which the President and Ms. Gorman speak; their American story has been one of fear, division, and darkness, and they hunger for hope, unity, light, love, and healing.
For decades, legislation designed to reduce sexual offenses and punish offenders has, at best, led to creating a group of citizens who, along with their families, are ostracized and denied many opportunities at wwwing their lives as productive citizens but has been completely ineffective in achieving the goal of improving public safety.
President Biden has made it clear that meaningful criminal justice reform is a priority for him. That reform must include reform of laws and policies that negatively affect those with a sexually related conviction. NARSOL has the experience of knowing the impact of these laws on public safety and wishes to collaborate with your office to ensure that story of hope survives for all Americans.
NARSOL asks for the opportunity to meet with you as well as key legislators who are tasked with criminal justice reform. We have many years of working with the issues of sexual offenses, persons who commit them, and persons impacted by them. We stand ready to meet, to answer questions, to share research, and to provide any information required on this topic.
Please respond via email to bjones@narsol.org with some convenient times for me to call, and I will get back with you to set up a phone, Zoom, or in-person meeting. We look forward to having the opportunity to explore ways to change that story for those for whom we advocate while at the same time contributing to improved safety for all Americans.
Respectfully yours,
Brenda Jones
Executive Director
