The Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL) is dedicated to protecting the Constitution by restoring the civil rights of registrants and their families. In order to achieve that objective, ACSOL will educate and litigate as well as support or oppose legislation.
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Janice's Journal
General News Feed
Christine Todd Whitman, who was governor of New Jersey from 1994 to 2001, writes that she signed Megan's Law to help parents know who is living near them so they can ensure their children are safe. While the law is not a panacea, it has helped protect kids. Full Article
24
Jul
2014
Registered sex offender Frank Lindsay today challenged an ordinance adopted by the City of Hesperia which prohibits him and all other registered citizens from visiting public and private locations as well as residing within that city. The lawsuit was filed after the City Council of Hesperia considered, but failed, to repeal or revise its ordinance on July 15. The scope of the City’s ordinance...
MILWAUKEE -- Thanks to a CBS 58 Bottom Line Investigation Milwaukee now has a new sex offender ordinance. CBS 58's Investigative Reporter Sarah Barwacz brought the issue to lawmakers back in May after finding child predators living next to schools, daycare centers, and parks. It was legal for child predators to live next to schools and parks because there was no law against it. Some council members...
In a ruling released Tuesday, the US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed a district court ruling from last year that had dismissed a lawsuit against the City of Lewisville over the constitutionality of a city ordinance restricting where registered sex offenders can live. Full Article
Lawmakers on Tuesday held off on deciding whether the state sex offender registry is good enough to allow offenders’ addresses to be posted online. State law says an audit of the error-ridden registry must be “favorable” before the state can post home addresses of sex offenders on the Internet sex offender registry. After a 2010 audit found major problems, State Auditor Doug Hoffer last...
Ventura County, Calif. - The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office conducted a sex offender compliance check Saturday, officials said Tuesday. Full Article
Last week, inside a federal courtroom in St. Paul, U.S. District Court Judge Donovan Frank heard several days of testimony from a team of experts appointed to review how the state administers its Minnesota Sex Offender Program — the subject of a class action lawsuit that has raised numerous questions about the program’s constitutionality. Full Article
22
Jul
2014
Writing at Reason’s Hit & Run blog, Lenore Skenazy passes along the story of a man caught up in a particular bizarre application of the laws requiring people register as sex offenders. Full Article
The state’s highest court has tossed out a child pornography case against a convicted child rapist who had photocopies of pictures of naked children from a National Geographic magazine, a sociology textbook, and a naturist catalogue in his state prison cell. Full Article Related MA: Porn debate over National Geographic photo goes to SJC (CA RSOL) Decision
17
Jul
2014
Let’s face it, we’re more sympathetic to the plights of some than others. Lost puppies and sad children rank right up there atop the sympathy scale. And at the bottom … Well, can you think of a group lower than sex offenders? It’s a tough sell, but a national conference is meeting this week in Dallas with the goal of making things a little...
RIVERSIDE, Calif. - On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors deferred action on a proposal to repeal a Riverside County ordinance restricting where convicted sex offenders can reside and loiter, directing county staff instead to modify the law so that some of its provisions can be preserved. Full Article
17
Jul
2014
HESPERIA — Reluctant to bow to state-level pressure, councilmen deferred adopting amendments to the city code about the regulation of sex offenders spurred by recent and pending court actions. With two of the city’s five councilmen on vacation, the motion to approve the amendments died on a split vote (three yes were needed to pass). Councilman Russ Blewett, who voted no, said after Tuesday’s...
When I agreed to keynote the Reform Sex Offender Laws conference this week in Dallas, Texas, I didn't expect it to hit quite so close to home. But before I arrived, I got a phone call from a soft-spoken, super-articulate young man, Joshua Gravens, who is a Soros Justice Scholar based in Dallas. His specialty is the injustice of the sex offender registry and...
15
Jul
2014
Lompoc’s City Council members tonight will consider easing loitering restrictions in the city’s sex offender ordinance to conform to state law, and temporarily suspending enforcement of residency limitations for registered offenders. Full Article City Council Hearing Video (click on #9) Update 7/16: Lompoc Council OKs settlement with registered sex offender (Lompoc Record) Update 7/17: To Settle Lawsuit, Lompoc Council Agrees to Ease Restrictions for Sex Offenders (Noozhawk)
RIVERSIDE – Riverside County supervisors indicated Tuesday they would continue to limit where convicted sex offenders can live while repealing an ordinance saying offenders cannot go near schools and other places children gather. Full Article
STURGEON BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A Door County judge has sentenced a man who took part is setting fire to the home of a registered sex offender Monday to three years in prison. T.J. Hunt set fire to the home where Jason Johnson was staying back on November 2. Sturgeon Bay police say Hunt and Justin Baker claimed they set the blaze because they...
13
Jul
2014
The Riverside County Board of Supervisors are expected to repeal Ordinance 902, the ordinance that sets rules on where sex offenders can live or visit. The board decided to appeal the ordinance on the advice of legal counsel following Appeals Court rulings on similar ordinances in nearby areas as unconstitutional. Third District Supervisor Jeff Stone registered a "No" vote, making a strong political statement...
As expected, letters were sent out Friday to Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen and Corrections Secretary Edward Wall in connection with the city's effort to force the state to do something about the disproportionate number of sex offenders who are being placed in the city. In his letter to Wall, Murphy noted that Grave Roberts, who runs the state's sex offender program, stated that residency...
13
Jul
2014
A former senior British policeman who broke up online paedophile rings involving up to 16,000 offenders says New Zealand must introduce a sex offenders register. The Government is debating whether to follow Britain, the United States, Canada, South Africa and Australia in introducing a central list of those who have been jailed for sexual offences, particularly against children. Full Article
The state's highest judicial entity; the Supreme Judicial Court reached another stunning milestone in delivering an affront to the sensibilities and protections of law-abiding citizens on July 11th. In a 6 to 1 decision the justices ruled that life-time parole for sex-offenders is unconstitutional. Full Opinion Piece