Thoughts and opinions
Originally published at the Times-Union, Albany, New York 11/30/21 Reprinted in full with permission. By Sandy . . . Approximately 180,000 individuals are incarcerated in the United States for a sexual crime. The offenses range from violent rape to exhibitionism. The vast majority will be released into the community to complete the sentence under probation or parole with some having…
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By Michael Karlik . . . Although the Colorado Supreme Court insisted its ruling applied narrowly, advocates for defendants believe the justices have laid a foundation for challenging the constitutionality of the state’s sex offender registration laws more broadly. On Monday, the Court decided by 6-1 that it violates the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment for Colorado…
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By Dwayne . . . You may know someone or have heard through news sources of individuals ordered by courts to attend sexual offender treatment. It is relatively common for courts to mandate forms of “therapy” such as polygraphs, group sessions, and elaborate treatment programs claiming efficacy. While the science community is skeptical of the effectiveness of such schemes, there…
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By Terry . . . We all have laws — speed limits, stop signs, red lights, just to name a few. As registrants we have many laws that affect us daily that other people never have to worry about. Knowing these laws will help smooth our road through life and keep us out of prison. Each state has a set…
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By Sandy . . . Over the past almost ten years, I have written many editorials and expository articles based on things that are happening in the world of our advocacy, especially things involving consequences of being on the registry. Looking back at our archived Digest copies, the first one I find there in which I wrote such a piece…
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By Sandy . . . As far as I can determine, prior to 2003 there were no articles linking persons on the registry with Halloween. Then, in 2003, from Bryan, Texas, Google finds this sole article: “Halloween can be a tempting time for sex offenders.” The headline comes from a quote by the county senior community supervision officer and is…
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By Brenda . . . We’ve all seen the ads, the memes, the commentaries bashing “those people.” No matter what your particular persuasion is, there’s some group out there telling you that you’re all washed up, totally wrong, and that all of “your people” are haters of the worst kind and are destroying life as we know it. Yes, it’s…
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By Robin . . . So, let me be sure I have this solid, Josh Salman of USAToday: IF anyone is EVER convicted of a sexual offense against a teenager, he or she is eternally unfit for janitorial work? Is this right? Is this your credal position as a journalist? Or maybe what you’re really hoping to convey by your crusading…
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Reprinted in full with permission. By Kathleen H . . . We’ve all heard the adage ‘work smarter, not harder’ but that phrase actually changes meaning depending on what your goal is! There are two types of investigations run by ICAC and LE concerning sex crimes. One is reactive, the other is proactive. To me, it makes sense to follow…
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By Kyle C. Barry This month, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a plan to curb public lewdness, groping, and other unwanted touching on New York City’s public transit: a three-year ban on “repeat and high-risk sexual offenders” from the city’s subways, buses, and trains. “MTA riders deserve to feel safe, and we have an obligation to ensure they will…
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