Families of SOs Community Group
WE HAVE MOVED!!! ............................. ............................... ......................... ............................ ............................. .......................... HERE: http://support-for-families.boards.net ............. ................ ............... ................ ............................... .................Please create a profile...
July 21, 2014
Mr. Ben Burkemper
Legislative Director
Missouri Attorney General's Office
207 West High Street
P.O. Box 899
Jefferson City, Missouri 65102
Re: Proposed meeting to discuss Missouri sex offender laws
Mr. Burkemper,
First, allow me to extend my appreciation for your invitation to meet with me on behalf of our Attorney General, Chris Koster, and his Solicitor General, Jeremiah Morgan, in your tittle and capacity as the Legislative Director for the Missouri Attorney General''s Office, so that we may discuss the issues involving current Missouri sex offender laws.
My e-mail to Mr. Jeremiah Morgan asking for a meeting with him, was premised on a two-prong predicate. The first is that where there is a genuine desire to learn about the effects that sex offender laws have on people, then we need to open our minds and truly listen to and learn from those who actually live these laws every day.
The second is that current sex offender laws are strongly predicated upon hate, fear, and hysteria. As a result, they serve little value, if any true value at all, in actually addressing the issues. Thus, our current laws do the very things that we claim to advocate against, in that of making children victims, though they make many others victims, as well.
That said, as I discussed in my e-mail to Mr. Morgan, I would like for the meeting to include Vicki Henry, Garret Mees, and Representative Mike Kelley, along with Eldon and me. Additionally, I would like to extend the invitation for you to also feel free to invite those whom you believe would have something of value to contribute to this meeting.
Vicki Henry is the President of the national organization, Women Against Registry (W.A.R). However, please do not let the name fool you, for they too share common ground with us in wanting to prevent sex crimes and to respond appropriately when they occur. Ms. Henry is also a mother of a sex offender and she is recognized as an expert by the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorney's in the effects that sex offender laws have on family members.
Garret Mees is currently running for State Representative of the 93rd District. He also has personal experience involving sex crimes for he is a father of a sex offender and the one who turned his son into police. Thus, like me, he too is far from being a bleeding heart liberal here, but rather shares the common goal of finding and implementing workable solutions to the issues at hand.
Where you have read e-mails Mr. Morgan, then you are aware I am a survivor of twelve years of childhood rape and torture. I also have a professional background that specializes in working with forensic clients, many of whom are sex offenders. Additionally, where I am a dully-appointed legal guardian of a sex offender, who has qualified disabilities, I bring specific and unique insight and knowledge to the table about the effects that sex offender laws impose.
Therefore, as you can see Mr. Burkemper, those whom I request to attend our meeting are knowledgeable about the issues and have something of value to offer here. The only way we will ever truly gain ground in creating laws that actually work and are not predicated upon hate, fear, and hysteria, is to listen to and learn from those who live these laws every day.
I have suggested to Ms. Henry and Mr. Mees that we focus on the top three laws that we believe should be and need to be changed first. It is my sincerest hope and goal that we will find common ground here. I believe we all share the same end-goals, but have slight differences in how to achieve such. Therefore, I would like for all of us to set aside playing politics and find solutions for Representative Kelley and others to file in the upcoming legislative session.
Again, please feel free to invite anyone whom you believe would provide something of value to this meeting so that we have all voices represented at the table. If that means inviting Governor Jay Nixon, a Senator, a representative of a victim rights advocacy group, Sheriff Arnott, or someone else, then by all means please feel free. I only ask that you send me an e-mail ahead of time so that I know who will be attending.
Insofar as the date of the meeting, from what Ms. Henry, Mr. Mees, and Representative Kelley have communicated, the meeting needs to be far enough in advance that everyone has the opportunity to arrange their schedules and I too concur with this. As such, I would like to propose the date August 29, 2014 at 1:00 pm. If this meets your schedule availability please let me know.
Mr. Ben Burkemper
Legislative Director
Missouri Attorney General's Office
207 West High Street
P.O. Box 899
Jefferson City, Missouri 65102
Re: Proposed meeting to discuss Missouri sex offender laws
Mr. Burkemper,
First, allow me to extend my appreciation for your invitation to meet with me on behalf of our Attorney General, Chris Koster, and his Solicitor General, Jeremiah Morgan, in your tittle and capacity as the Legislative Director for the Missouri Attorney General''s Office, so that we may discuss the issues involving current Missouri sex offender laws.
My e-mail to Mr. Jeremiah Morgan asking for a meeting with him, was premised on a two-prong predicate. The first is that where there is a genuine desire to learn about the effects that sex offender laws have on people, then we need to open our minds and truly listen to and learn from those who actually live these laws every day.
The second is that current sex offender laws are strongly predicated upon hate, fear, and hysteria. As a result, they serve little value, if any true value at all, in actually addressing the issues. Thus, our current laws do the very things that we claim to advocate against, in that of making children victims, though they make many others victims, as well.
That said, as I discussed in my e-mail to Mr. Morgan, I would like for the meeting to include Vicki Henry, Garret Mees, and Representative Mike Kelley, along with Eldon and me. Additionally, I would like to extend the invitation for you to also feel free to invite those whom you believe would have something of value to contribute to this meeting.
Vicki Henry is the President of the national organization, Women Against Registry (W.A.R). However, please do not let the name fool you, for they too share common ground with us in wanting to prevent sex crimes and to respond appropriately when they occur. Ms. Henry is also a mother of a sex offender and she is recognized as an expert by the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorney's in the effects that sex offender laws have on family members.
Garret Mees is currently running for State Representative of the 93rd District. He also has personal experience involving sex crimes for he is a father of a sex offender and the one who turned his son into police. Thus, like me, he too is far from being a bleeding heart liberal here, but rather shares the common goal of finding and implementing workable solutions to the issues at hand.
Where you have read e-mails Mr. Morgan, then you are aware I am a survivor of twelve years of childhood rape and torture. I also have a professional background that specializes in working with forensic clients, many of whom are sex offenders. Additionally, where I am a dully-appointed legal guardian of a sex offender, who has qualified disabilities, I bring specific and unique insight and knowledge to the table about the effects that sex offender laws impose.
Therefore, as you can see Mr. Burkemper, those whom I request to attend our meeting are knowledgeable about the issues and have something of value to offer here. The only way we will ever truly gain ground in creating laws that actually work and are not predicated upon hate, fear, and hysteria, is to listen to and learn from those who live these laws every day.
I have suggested to Ms. Henry and Mr. Mees that we focus on the top three laws that we believe should be and need to be changed first. It is my sincerest hope and goal that we will find common ground here. I believe we all share the same end-goals, but have slight differences in how to achieve such. Therefore, I would like for all of us to set aside playing politics and find solutions for Representative Kelley and others to file in the upcoming legislative session.
Again, please feel free to invite anyone whom you believe would provide something of value to this meeting so that we have all voices represented at the table. If that means inviting Governor Jay Nixon, a Senator, a representative of a victim rights advocacy group, Sheriff Arnott, or someone else, then by all means please feel free. I only ask that you send me an e-mail ahead of time so that I know who will be attending.
Insofar as the date of the meeting, from what Ms. Henry, Mr. Mees, and Representative Kelley have communicated, the meeting needs to be far enough in advance that everyone has the opportunity to arrange their schedules and I too concur with this. As such, I would like to propose the date August 29, 2014 at 1:00 pm. If this meets your schedule availability please let me know.
I question for my own benefit the comment "Additionally, where I am a dully-appointed legal guardian of a sex offender, who has qualified disabilities, I bring specific and unique insight and knowledge to the table about the effects that sex offender laws impose.."
I find that our legal system totally ignores ANY Disabilities that aren't Physical.
Yes it is used as "Mitigating". Is that enough though when it comes to Parole Boards understanding of SO's problems in understanding the rules and limitations that are imposed on them?
ADA law accepts mental disabilities and they are covered under that law.
There are REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS for physical disabilities.
None for mental or emotional ones though.
Who guides these people? Is it a family members responsibility to keep the Mentally disabled SO aware? With the rules being so broad and flexible upon need, even THEY can't grasp the full intent of the laws. I know I can't for my son and I have no mental issues.
Thank you for all you provide here. And I want to also thank all who post.
One thing is for sure, he knows we, on this side of the coin, do not see this as being a joke.
I included the part of my being a guardian because it does bring into play a unique aspect that is typically ignored by those in government. Hence, including this was not just to establish credibility in that I am not some new fish out of water here, but also to remind them that there are many different people on the registry.
The idea here is pretty simple: If I can get the Attorney General's Office (the chief law enforcement agency of the state) on board to support the changes, it will make it a whole lot harder for the Governor to veto any Bill that is passed by the Missouri General Assembly.
It's a backdoor approach, and one that may very well be successful.