Families of SOs Community Group
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I believe this law was not intended as a punishment when it was passed, it just was not well thought out. The first registry started 1947 new registry was past 1996. Ex post facto clause means you take a new law 1996 making it go back to 1947. This can only be done if it doesn't change the punishment or inflict a greater punishment when the crime was committed. For example sex offender registration laws is held not to violate the ex post facto clause based that they were not intended as a punishment but to deter against future offenses.
I would think that for those from 1947 to 1996 who have not committed any crimes this new law is not going to make him/her any more deterrent from future offenses than they already are. I mean if a person has not committed any crime for over 49 years, what makes any one think O M G this person is going to commit a crime?
This new law is punitive for all who have committed a Sex crime but I believe more so for those who fall under ex post facto clause because this new law violets my right to protect my family from know SEX OFFENDERS who live in my neighbor hood. I am being refused the right to view the web site that would give me a changes to protect my kids, grandkids, sister, wife and my mom from know sex offenders. Plus I am being refuse the right to protect my neighbors I care about.
Since this new law was exchanged for me I have been just a heart beat away from living on the street for the last 6 years. I don't understand how someone just getting out of prison can make it, seeing I been out for over 30 years and find it very hard to find work.
The day I was released 1984 I had to register, they just wanted to know where I lived. The public did not know of me or were I lived that made life easier and gave me a chance to find work and because of the old law I started a business bought a house raised a family but today I don't believe I could find a job because I can not even hire myself. I have to farm out the work I get from the internet I am not allowed to work today due to these new laws. I repair Tvs in homes
I would think that for those from 1947 to 1996 who have not committed any crimes this new law is not going to make him/her any more deterrent from future offenses than they already are. I mean if a person has not committed any crime for over 49 years, what makes any one think O M G this person is going to commit a crime?
This new law is punitive for all who have committed a Sex crime but I believe more so for those who fall under ex post facto clause because this new law violets my right to protect my family from know SEX OFFENDERS who live in my neighbor hood. I am being refused the right to view the web site that would give me a changes to protect my kids, grandkids, sister, wife and my mom from know sex offenders. Plus I am being refuse the right to protect my neighbors I care about.
Since this new law was exchanged for me I have been just a heart beat away from living on the street for the last 6 years. I don't understand how someone just getting out of prison can make it, seeing I been out for over 30 years and find it very hard to find work.
The day I was released 1984 I had to register, they just wanted to know where I lived. The public did not know of me or were I lived that made life easier and gave me a chance to find work and because of the old law I started a business bought a house raised a family but today I don't believe I could find a job because I can not even hire myself. I have to farm out the work I get from the internet I am not allowed to work today due to these new laws. I repair Tvs in homes
I have spoken to many so called RSO's and most are not at all wanting to return to any type of criminal lifestyle. I volunteered for years at a homeless shelter and learned compassion and kindness actually can help reduce crime and reoccurring bad cycles of habits that create the perfect breeding ground for crime. Depression and a feeling of lost hope.
I succeeded in life and work because my environment was healthy and not toxic like today's brought on by a mostly evil media and weak politicians using false fears to get votes. We need to support each other emotionally and try to create a positive environment for all of us to succeed. Lord knows we have enough enemies already!
I try to learn almost everyday how to survive in such a toxic world built on false fears and lies. You should speak to some of the old time RSO's. Many are very decent people because they want to be. I myself have many false fears. Will they come get me and throw me in a endearment camp like the Japanese when I'm a senior citizen. Will I ever be free? I thought long and hard about what picture I would take of myself with a word that would describe how I feel best. It would be hunted!
My point is being missed I did say it is a punishment for all sex offenders but more for those that already have 20 plus years before this new registry. If you check out the Megan's Web Site they do not tell you how many OS are from 1980. They did not need any new laws, I mean it should never of been change in 1996.
If I use to be able to work for myself for the last 30 plus years doing in home repairs, but today I have to hire someone else after I have already done over 70,000 repairs, how am I dangerous today? I have not committed any new crime. So if I can not even work for myself how dose this new law give those who just got out of prison a chance seeing this new law has damaged me after 30 years.
I have 3 kids 2 are over 25 years of age and we never had to dill with laws like today as my 13 years old dose. I would hope someone would appeal the megan's law as it is PUNITIVE so we can start doing away with it for all and go back to the it was from 1947 or not at all.
EVERY ONE NEEDS A CHANCE TO LIVE AND TO MAKE A WRONG A RIGHT
Why should we not be able to protect our kids, family and help protect my neighbors ? do we know every sex offernder ? Why would someone think we do? would you not call the police if you saw someone that you know was going to hurt someone you cared about? We are being denied to protect
Good point and one to be pointed out to TPTB
You spoke of your son being a good hearted person, and I believe he is.
I have noticed that a some registrants, especially the younger ones, really get down on themselves. It is almost like they have listened to the hype so long that they almost begin to believe it.
We cannot allow others to define us as people. We know who we are better than anyone---we know where we came from and we know what is in our hearts. If we are a decent person, we cannot allow others to put doubt in our mind.
There are a lot---a lot---of decent people who are registrants for whatever reason. The system will try to break a registrant down and make him feel bad about himself, as it is easier to control someone like that.
When I think of some of these younger guys who get so down on themselves, I am reminded of a time in prison when the case manager and I were having a heated discussion of whether I should take the sex offender treatment program. I refused and it made the case manager angry.
It finally ended when he threw me into solitary confinement, but just as I left his office, I pointed my finger at him and said, "You can put me in chains, you can throw me into solitary confinement for the next 20 years, you can punish me any way you see fit, but the one thing you cannot and will not EVER, EVER, EVER be able to do is TO MAKE ME GUILTY."
He was trying to define me as a sex offender and I refused to allow it.
So, they can treat the decent registrants in any manner they see fit, but the one thing they cannot do is make them a predator or pervert if they are not one.
rewdiazpema
Fear is such a big enemy of your son. His fear will try to isolate him and even try to create conditions of PTSD and he must stay active and not hide. Mothers love and worry about children. You are scared for him and uncertain what his future will be.
Most ex offenders do find love and do have families. Most find some sort of job and most don't reoffend. You can always speak to people going threw exactly what you and your son are going threw here. People will understand and care about your pain and your fears.
you got it think you
How would I word this to show this new law is punitive
The first registry started 1947 new registry was past 1996. Ex post facto clause means you take a new law 1996 making it go back to 1947. This can only be done if it doesn't change the punishment or inflict a greater punishment when the crime was committed.
well it did and I believe people are missing it. I was able to protect my old kids but not my youngest This is a new type of punihment?
Rewdiazpema, you remind me so of how my son feels. He would not take any sex offender treatment in prison because he feels the same way that you feel. He is having a hard time with the classes that he has to take while he is on parole. They want him to admit to things that make him feel guilty. One of the first things that his PO did at their first meeting was to get in his face and yell at him until he admitted his guilt. That was not enough, so he called him into a private meeting where there were 3 of them and did the same thing. Always a threat of putting him back in prison and leaving him there. Just trying again and again to break him down. It is rough on me to have to watch this happening and not try to protect him as a mother would her young. I pray and pray that he will never lose his spirit. This is a system that need to be fixed.
Tell your son that a registrant can never lose his spirit or self-confidence. He knows he is a good person from a good family. If anyone would know, it would be him. Deep down, he knows he is not the monster many people portray him to be.
Like I said, they can do anything they want to him but they can NEVER, NEVER make him a bad person or a pervert because he isn't. I never allowed anyone to do that to me and I hope your son does the same.
Here is one reason I have always stood by my principles. I have to live with myself. I would have a difficult time if I knew I knuckled under when it came to my innocence. I went to trial and risked a life sentence because of my principles. I am not about to abandon them now.
But in this day and age of the coercion and legal blackmail prosecutors use, I do understand why someone might plead to something they did not do. The odds are too great to go to trial sometimes.
I truly understand the dilemma your son is facing when the PO insists that he admit guilt. Having the threat of going to prison held over a person's head is a tough sell. He is doing the right thing. He needs to learn "to play the game."
After all this is all a game anyway. Justice is just a word for Polyanna articles and research papers. Nobody really knows what justice is.
Our legal system is really not about innocence or guilt or right or wrong. It is just an adversarial system and the side that has the most money and can present the best argument wins.
This is a terrible reflection on America, but that is what it has come to.
Tell your son to hold his chin up and to never allow anyone to take his dignity.
rewdiazepam
Thank you very much for your words of encouragement. I will tell him what you said. Yes, he took the plea for several reasons. The biggest one being that we could not afford the cost of a trial. And, there is so much that goes along with a "plea". Such as, do you take the plea and know how many years you will be incarcerated or do you go to trial and possibly be put away for many years? It was a very tough decision for him to make, but he made it, and we are going on.
Another thing that I have been so disappointed with is our Department of Child and Family Services here in Illinois. They seem to have a one-track mind and never veer from it. That could be another whole topic for discussion .
Yes our legal system is broken. My son's new saying is that "It is whomever gets to them first. That is the one that they believe." This whole situation has just about broken us financially and we didn't even go to trial. Just what is fair about that? Then the "victim" has free council, advocates, etc.
Don't get me wrong. I believe that there are true victims out there. They deserve to have things given to them. There are just the wrong people taking advantage of our system. Sad.