We are an organization of citizens, concerned about Sex Offender issues and policies in Florida.
Reacting to public hysteria following isolated and heinous events, legislators’ enacted broad reaching, and well-meaning legislation intended to protect the public. Unfortunately it fails to do exactly that. The cost to Florida tax payers is not only millions of dollars annually, but includes profound human collateral damage to families and communities and it also fails to protect our children or our communities, nor does it work towards stopping the cycle of abuse.
Our purpose is to educate the public, our legislators and the media in an effort to correct these inequities and establish an empirically based, rational approach to dealing with sexually related offenses and stop the cycle of abuse.
By providing the courts a mechanism to evaluate risk through the use of risk assessment tools it will enable the courts to differentiate between high risk and low risk offenders. Enabling us to focus our resources where they will be most effective. We will create safer communities, provide a return on investments for tax payers and most importantly work towards stopping the cycle of abuse.
Fact: a large and growing body of research proves current policies are misguided. Perhaps the most critical misconception is that sex offenders are repeat offenders; (most laws are based on this assumption, including GPS monitoring, curfews, and residency restrictions). Statistical analysis conducted by the US Bureau of Justice shows an overall recidivism rate of approximately 5.3%, the lowest of all major categories of crime except murder.
Fact: to isolate a former offender from services, jobs, family and stable housing increases risk for other offenses, such as probation violations.
Another common misconception guiding legislation is the myth of “stranger danger”.
Fact: : According to California’s Department of Justice and other agencies’ over 90% of child sexual abuse is perpetrated by relatives or people close to the child, not by strangers and they are first time offenders.
SORNA the “Sex Offender Registry”, would not have them listed anyway, and residency restriction would not have been effective either.
The human toll of our current Sex Offender policies is catastrophic. Each of the almost 60,000 Florida Registrants their families and friends who also suffer the stigma and hardships has had their lives shredded. The stories are heart breaking.
FAC needs your participation. To succeed, our efforts require the uniting of many voices. We provide members ongoing, relevant information from around the state and the country regarding sex offender policies and breaking cases. But what is perhaps the most valuable aspect of membership is that we understand all too well what it means to be arrested for a sex offense in Florida. We are individuals and families that offer hope and compassion to the thousands whose lives will no longer be the same.
Here you can find purpose. Here you can find understanding, empathetic people. Here you can find friendship. Here you can find a way to fight back.
“From Unity Comes Change”
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