Five Cases Could Significantly Reform Pennsylvania’s Sex Offense Registry.
From The Appeal
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is expected to rule on five cases this year that could change how the state treats people convicted of sex offenses, and could ease the state’s sex offense registry restrictions, commonly referred to as Megan’s Law.
But in a December opinion piece, state Attorney General Josh Shapiro warned that if the court were to “dismantle” the state’s sex offense registry it would “put the public at risk,” and Pennsylvania could become a “safe haven” for people convicted of a sexual offense.
“A loss [for the state] in even one of [the cases] would be a loss for children’s safety across our state,” he wrote in the Morning Call, an Allentown newspaper.
Shapiro’s assertions that the state and its residents would be in danger if the registry goes away is not born out in fact, said Kelly Socia, a professor of criminology at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.
“The research that we have shows that there is very little evidence registries help to reduce sex crimes,” Socia told The Appeal. “It’s not just that they aren’t preventing sex crimes but they are not reducing sex crimes at all.”
“I don’t think the public should be concerned if the registry goes away,” he said.
FAC NOTE: Josh Vaughn was a speaker on an FAC member call a couple years ago. He’s been covering these issues for a while and deserves a nod for his work!
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when is our suit going to be heard in the supreme court?
What suit are you talking about?
Our suit will not be heard by the Supreme Court, unless we or the state are dissatisfied with the (future) decision from the circuit court of appeals AND there is a circuit split or some other reason for the Supreme Court to grant cert.
Everything we have going right now I think is at the District Court level You cannot go directly to Supreme Court, that’s not how it works and they won’t consider it.
But I am probably preaching to the choir here.
Our “Ex Post Facto Plus” case?!?
That case is still in the District Court. Whoever loses may appeal it to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals and whoever loses that one would have to file a Writ of Certiorari for the SCOTUS to consider hearing it.
We are sooooo far away from that it’s not even a consideration at this point.
And we do not necessarily even need our challenge to be heard by the Supreme Court level. If (way down the road) it is the state, not us who files for cert and is denied, that will be a good thing.
right
in Michigan (Does v. Snyder) it was the losing party (the State) that sought Cert and that was DENIED!
Yes it was Denied, but unlike any other law struck down its still being enforced. This is highly irregular and shows how sex offender laws even when overturned is still enforced. Let that sink in. Could u imagine if a state outlawed abortion and ignored federal courts? That’s exactly what’s going on in Michigan with the sex offender registry ruling.
the ex post facto plus case. when will it be heard?
Jury Trial is set for 11/9/2020
A Discovery Hearing is set for 1/24/2020 at 02:30 PM and there will be lots in between.
As I am from PA and now living in FL where Sex Crimes have such a growth due to this fake sex stings on adult site and FL loves them for numbers and mic time. PA dismantle of registry be a great start and best thing. They say the public be at risk but true stats show different. they lower crime offense on drugs etc. Well its more danger to public I think and believe. DUIs and drugs etc been doing harm to public safety and hurting our chrildren. They’re hit by driver or over dosing etc from drugs. Wheres there a registry for that. Dont allow them that do them crime be near parks, school. heck even bars and beer stores wellllll ….
?????? Never win the war on drugs and sex sales in the public fake news. Its all a game for the polictics to use to fear public so they can get there 5min fame on TV like any other. So I hope they 5 cases win and they dismantle the registry complete and other states will follow as we all fight to have same done nationally. Less also make it a felony for law enforcement to lie on site of adults that check that box stating they 18 and older. Big tech companies can and should block oversee child porn sites. But its not don’t because LE need loop holes to fill their jails to protect their funds, arrest numbers, and bonus etc. New tech and cars show they to lazy to get out the car anymore. So reform and dismantle this unworkable registry has my complete vote ! lets roll!