Category: Good News!

WA: Thousands of formerly incarcerated people in Washington allowed to vote with no carve-outs

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WASHINGTON, USA — The November midterm elections are less than two weeks away and for thousands of people in Washington, it’s the first time they are eligible to vote under a new law that restored voting rights to formerly incarcerated people. “I was actually incarcerated at 17,” said Cyril Walrond. Walrond spent 17 years in prison and was released on Aug. 1 at the age of 34. “The very next day to register to vote and to vote in the primary, really gave me a sense of connectivity within my community, where…

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CA Court Grants Contested Petition for Removal from Registry

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A judge in Pasadena Superior Court yesterday granted a petition for removal from the registry despite an objection filed by the Los County District Attorney.  The petition was filed on behalf of an individual who was convicted 25 years ago in the same court and by the same judge. According to the District Attorney (DA), the registrant should be required to continue registration in order to “significantly enhance community safety.”  The only evidence presented in support of this position by the DA were documents related to the initial charges and…

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German Court Grants Protection to former Florida Sex Offense Registrant on Human Rights Grounds

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Source: floridaactioncommittee.org 10/7/22 Taken from the FAC article: SOURCE: Steven Whitsett, Baden-Württemberg, Germany Sending registrants back to prison for mere administrative violations of Florida’s sex offender registry violates human rights law.  How’s that for a bit of good news? After paying my “debt to society” by completing a lengthy prison term in Florida and two years of supervision, I decided that I didn’t owe anything further and was not going to be persecuted in my own country for the rest of my life.  So, I packed my bags and boarded…

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Preliminary Injunction Motion Sought in SORNA Regulations Challenge

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A motion for preliminary injunction has been filed in the pending challenge to SORNA regulations that became effective in January 2022.   The motion was filed on June 3 by the Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) in federal district court.  The motion requests a hearing date of July 18.  If that request is granted, the hearing will take place in Riverside county. “The Pacific Legal Foundation is to be commended for filing this important motion,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci.  “If the motion is granted, it could stop the enforcement of…

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Food Brands Fight the Background Check

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Source: tastecooking.com 9/14/21 A growing number of bakeries, restaurants, and ice cream companies are leading the charge to employ the formerly incarcerated. “It’s the same work I was used to in prison, but the difference is that, in prison, I was working for 10 cents a day.” Alvin Wilson is a 66-year-old baker. Living in New York’s Westchester County with his sister, he’s spent the last seven years mixing brownie batter ingredients and packing the baked result at Greyston Bakery, the organization whose brownies can be found in your favorite…

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South Carolina Supreme Court Declares Lifetime Registration Without Court Assessment to be Unconstitutional

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[ACSOL] The Supreme Court of South Carolina issued a decision today that declared unconstitutional lifetime registration in that state because the state does not provide registrants “any opportunity for judicial review to assess the risk of re-offending.”  Specifically, the Court ruled that lifetime registration violates the due process clause of the 14th Amendment. “Because of this decision, registrants in South Carolina will no longer be required to register for life unless and until a court assesses their risk of re-offending,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci.  “This is a big…

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CA: Registrant Gains Access to Section 8 Housing

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A registrant in California has gained access to Section 8 housing.  This is a significant change because in the past all California registrants were denied access to Section 8 housing because they were required by state law to register for life. “This is a significant milestone,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci.  “With the help of ACSOL, a registrant was able to persuade the federal government that he is no longer a lifetime registrant.” The registrant, who wishes to remain anonymous, applied to live with his fiance in Section 8…

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