The Appeal: People On Sex Offender Registry Should Shelter From Dorian in Jail
Barred from other shelters, registrants were left with few options as Hurricane Dorian approached.
For some people convicted of sex crimes in Florida, the only shelter open to them during Hurricane Dorian is the county jail.
In some counties, people on the registry are barred from shelters set up for those evacuating, and being told to go to separate locations, away from children and other community members. If they attempt to stay with friends or relatives, they face daunting residency and registration requirements, according to the Florida Action Committee, which advocates for reform of sex offender registry laws. Failure to comply can mean a felony conviction and incarceration.
In Osceola County, a separate shelter has been set up at the housing agency for “sex offenders,” meaning people on the registry, according to a local news report by WKMG-TV. And in Flagler County, registered sex offenders were directed to go to the sheriff’s office for shelter, according to a WJXT-TV report. The Nassau County Board of Commissioners website advised people on the sex offender registry to seek shelter in the county jail.
“It was such a traumatic experience to be incarcerated. I’m not going to subject myself to that voluntarily,” a representative with the Florida Action Committee told The Appeal. “I’d rather tie myself to a tree.”
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I own my home and I am not going anywhere. It makes no sense to me that ever three months the sheriffs have to come out just to hear me say that nothing has changed.. And they agree with me. If I am going someplace out of the state I do my 48 hours and when I get where I am going I check in. Other than that I live here and intend to stay here until it is time for me to leave this earth.
I stopped traveling. I use to visit an elderly relative but the first time I went to the hick town sheriffs office to register there in South carolina, they held me for 2 hours checking me for warrants, telling every person who entered the lobby to steer clear of me because I was a disgusting sex creep. Then when I finally left, a patrol car followed me all the way to the relatives house and went door to door to all the neighbors and told them about me even though I am not listed as a predator. Needless to say, that was not a pleasant trip. I was told by one deputy if I don’t like it, I can get my nasty ass back in the car and head back from whence I came and don’t let the state line hit me in the ass. ( His exact words ).
I’ve never had any problems in Pennsylvania. They always treat me well when I go there. I have often wondered if they know that there was something wrong in my case and has something to do with the way they treat me. Who knows maybe it is just the officers there. in that barracks.
Ahh so ur a victim?
U should go away for better life.
I believe this bears repeating:
“When people who have paid their debt to society and pay taxes are kept from voting you have government tyranny.”
Sex Offender laws are akin to Jim Crow laws and the Nazi Holocaust (to some degree) because:
instead of being based on facts, reason and results, they are based on personal animus and faulty notions based in mass-hysteria-driven fear.
It is mob violence-mentality, codified (made into law) so that it suspends the constitution and creates a bona-fide Bill of Attainder.
Populist ideology and fascist policies are what these things are based on.
Holocaust, Jim Crow, Government Blacklist … call it what you will.
It is ALL based on the same thoughts of hatred, scapegoating, and bully-boy tactics!
JJJJ, you are right on. To say it is something else is putting one’s head in the sand. Any time a whole group of people are put into the same category as a few who commit super heinous acts, it is nothing more than a government ‘blacklist’. When people who have paid their debt to society and pay taxes are kept from voting you have government tyranny. While some may say the registry cannot be compared to previous pogroms designed to eliminate certain people, I find it difficult to apply any other analogy.
I just got back from my lawyers office and he said I cannot complain that sex offenders are the only ones who have to register. He said that argument does not fly. I found out today there are three kinds of registrations that are mandatory. Sexual offenders, Released felons and Career criminals. I forgot to ask if they were a state statue or just something my county is doing ( Orange County , Fl ).
“Sex offenders” are the only ones who have to continually register. According to F.S. 775.13: Registration of convicted felons, exemptions; penalties. This is a one-time registration and there is no public list.
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0775/Sections/0775.13.html
The second category, according to F.S. 775.261: The Florida Career Offender Registration Act. This one is more onerous than the above, but far less onerous than the “sex offender” registry.
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0700-0799/0775/Sections/0775.261.html
This is a public list also, accessible by link on the FDLE website:
http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/coflyer/home.asp
A blank search will reveal there are 7,103 people in and out of Florida on this list. A far cry from the bloated “SOR” which sports nearly ten times that number.
Here’s what’s on the flyer for the first person on the registry [sorry dude]. Far less information than the “SOR.”
http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/coflyer/Poster.asp?Keys=9972
I think everyone misunderstood what I was trying to convey. I was just moaning to my lawyer and when I said we ( Sex offenders ) are the only ones who have to do registrations, he corrected me to something I did not know and glad I was told because I would look stupid telling that to a judge then getting mud on my face for not being more informed that there are other offenders who have to register.
The habitual offender list is online, and the soon to be formed John registry will be as well.
There’s actual nothing in Florida’s general felon registration statute that explicitly protects the privacy of the information. (Unlike similar statutes in Alabama and Nevada.) Seminole County posts its entire felon registry online. https://www.seminolesheriff.org/forms/registeredfelons.aspx?id=4
The felon registration is for only 5 years though. I’m pretty sure, but not positive, that habitual offender registration is for life.
If I am not mistaken, a John is a nickname for someone who hires a prostitute? Other than maybe a school or a church position, or someone’s wife, who in the heck cares if someone hires a prostitute?
I have said all along, eventually there will be a registry for everything. A person who lets their dog poo in someone else’s yard ( I am all for that one lol ) . But seriously, once everyone in the U.S is on a registry, will there then be some outcry?
Registries are for weddings and bar mitzvahs, not to punish someone and drag their names through the mud for the rest of their lives. So much for rehabilitation and 2nd chances.
People who love big government and can’t have too many laws must be very excited about expanding their big government harassment to tens of millions of people. Can we ever have too many people employed by government? How about 50% of working people work for government? That should be a measurement of how advanced a country is – how many paper pushers do you have “working” just to run your country? How many “work” in security theater and propaganda?
These Registries will not count as legitimate Registries though until all 50 states have them and there is an equivalent of federal SORNA. They aren’t even close to legitimate until they start telling these people where they can live, work, etc. How is it even conceivable that we allow Gun Offenders to live by schools?! Shocking.
They’ll get there. The big government boot lickers just have to keep working.
Will
You state there are way too many Government workers.
My question is, what the HELL are they doing? Have you ever tried to call the Social Security office? Check on your veteran’s benefits? Reach the driver’s license office?
I have been in places before where the phone was ringing off the hook. I said to the clerk ” I do not mind if you take that call, I can wait”. The common response is ” They will call back ” or ” I ain’t got no time to be answering the phone”.
I bet if one of those workers were the one trying to call in, they would go off on someone.
That is why I do as much business in person as I can, it makes it more personal since they have to look you in the eye to tell you no instead of laughing and hanging up on you as they say “Good luck”.
The Florida Career Offender Registration Act governs what the lawyer said about mandatory registration for habitual criminals. Most of the laws make it a misdemeanor for failing to register as a felon, except sex offenses which carry felony penalties for fIling to register.
Here is a good source of info about all registries.
https://www.jacksonvillecriminaldefenseattorneyblog.net/florida-felony-registration-requirements/
95% of sex offenders can hardly be classified as habitual offenders.
Dear Capt., yes. The career offenders have very high recidivism rates versus the low rates of sex offenders.
“TV meteorologist Mike Davis charged with pandering child pornography” some say it is good when high profile people like this are charged i say it is not because it brings more light to the crazies who want to impose more regulations on us. Another case of someone not on the list getting caught
Off topic: I was placed on a GPS Electronic Monitor after release solely due to homelessness after release from incarceration. My PO at the time merely emailed the Clerk of Court’s office, no proof that his supervisor approved or that the “Department of Corrections” recommended monitoring as statutorily mandated by Fla.Stat. 948.30(2)(e). I recently had a modification hearing in which the State objected to removal of the monitor, in direct violation of Rule, were I was sentenced in 2003, prior to the JLA, which is not retroactive law and was enacted September 1, 2005! I have contacted the Florida Action Committee, NARSOL, and the ACLU! Not one of these organizations give a shit unless it meets their issues! Don’t waist your time on these loser organizations, and don’t send them money to fight THEIR ISSUES! Let’s see if they post this fact or not!!! They don’t give a shit about us!
Sorry you feel that way, David. We did post your comment.
FAC is not a law firm, we are not lawyers and we are not licensed nor qualified to help people with their individual cases. We cannot apply our organizations resources to hire an attorney to assist you with your legal matter. We apply our resources to challenges that will benefit the members as a whole. In your situation, you should be contacting your criminal defense attorney for help with your case.
We’re sorry to see you go!
The Florida Action Committee and Narsol, are the ones that are doing everything possible through the State and Federal to Fix and repair a broken system, these people do so much to try and correct situations like yours and many others. Please show appreciation to the members and volunteers that work every single day to try and help us ALL. This is a family, a family of support, and a family of love. Please don’t leave because you feel left out, look at what they HAVE done and what they are doing. I am so grateful that both these organizations are here for ALL of us. Each and everyone one of us know that none of this is fair, and none of this is just. I will always support people who support and believe in me.
An AMEN goes out to Ron, FAC, and NARSOL. Without these two organizations we would be up a creek without a paddle.
An AMEN goes to our members who support our organization with donations. We are the canoe, but they are the paddle.
Unless we add fuel to the ship we’ll be going nowhere.
Well done brother!