Sex Offender Registration During the Pandemic: ‘A Recipe for Disaster’
The coronavirus pandemic has led to an unprecedented shutdown of many American institutions, from professional sports to many government agencies, including the suspension of many non-essential law enforcement services from fingerprinting to vehicle registration.
However, people required to register under the complex public sex offense registry scheme must still register in person. This puts the health of registrants, their families, agency employees, police officers, and the general public in danger.
Over the past month, I have searched press releases, news reports and social media posts, along with direct contact with law enforcement agents, to determine what changes have been made to sex offense registration during this pandemic.
Of the 182 agency responses, only a dozen have suspended registration, and just 44 agencies are taking registry over the phone or Internet. The rest still require in-person registration.
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Here in Duval Co., i was told by my monthly visiting detective that in person detective checks would be done by phone and all in person quarterly registrations were suspended until further notice, due to the pandemic. Sounded good, but I am suspicious. I will go to my JSO Registration site this month because I am due anyway, wearing mask and gloves. I have nothing in writing. I don’t know what else to do. IF that is the policy it seems they would communicate better.
CALL the Sheriff’s Office. Your Detective is WRONG.
As useless as registration is, the resources used are a giant waste. After all this zooming and google meeting going on, don’t they get it that the useless registration could be done over video chat over a phone to one central location. Of course, the registration NAZI’s might face downsizing as each county would not need some many useless people sitting at local desks
You have to think like your opponent.
If video registration where allowed how would they know your not in New Jersey while claiming to be in Bonifay Florida? By using a VPN I could appear to be in Jacksonville while actually in California.
Bottom line is in person registration needs to be repealed.
Agreed, the entire scheme is a perversion of the constitution and should be repealed.
It is true that someone could lie when on a remote video chat about where they are living…but exactly how does in person periodic “reporting” (part of the lifetime probation scheme) actually keep a registrant from lying about where he/she is living regardless?
Police are still going to do their legislated warrant-less searches for registrants to confirm where they are registered (also part of the lifetime probation scheme) . That is really the only real check they can have.
The statute originally required, and it is still written into it, that a registrant must respond within a few days to correspondence they send to the registered address. I am fairly sure they no longer send correspondence since they implemented the above mentioned lifetime probation scheme.
Isn’t it so nice that we can feel safe while law enforcement is protecting us?!
Just playing devil advocate here, but what’s the difference between going to register, which is quick and easy in most cases and shopping in a crowded Walmart or Costco during this pandemic ?
People who are elderly or have compromised immune systems don’t go shopping in a crowded Walmart or Costco. They order groceries delivered or have people bring it to them.
Umm, I’d choose if I wanted to go shopping or not. When and where. I’m not forced at the actual point of a gun and imprisoned if I don’t go shopping.
Meh, I don’t care that much. I’m not at very much risk. And I certainly don’t care what happens to the people who force me to Register. If I get COVID then I want to go Register. Nothing would make me happier.
Today, I’ll ensure that the Registries are not just worthless, as they naturally are, but much, much worse.
It is also matter of principle. In many cases, concessions have been made for everyone else. As mentioned in the article, some counties in Florida are taking felony registration by phone but still requiring sex offense registration in person. Other departments have suspended many other operations like fingerprinting, background checks, and even accident reports, yet still require registration. We have been singled out to continue registration even as other police functions were suspended.
I made an in-person visit to PBSO on 4/14/20. No entry permitted. I displayed my drivers license through the front door glass while a fingerprint agent took down my info. I was told to then call by phone: (561)6883889, while standing by entrance for an interview. After completion I was told that my registration was not complete. I was instructed to copy the SPOT phone: 5616883889 & email address: [email protected] and to be sure to contact, in order to receive instruction for completing my registration. I was told that I still have to sign my “packet” to be complete. Emailed once and called once and left a message, no reply to either. Will call & email till successful.
My husband received a call yesterday from a detective (allegedly) saying that Duval was doing everything by phone and waiving the $25 fee. I told him to save the voicemail from the “detective” and show up at his appointment in person next month just in case it was a scam. It’s sad we have to jump through hoops like this and constantly have to look over our shoulders.
Yep. It’s unacceptable. Don’t believe or accept anyone who says otherwise. They are immoral liars.
Just concrete evidence the registry is ” PUNISHMENT”
Andrea,
So here’s the real deal on registration in Jacksonville-Duval:
904-630-8633 is the correct NEW number to call for a telephone appointment. I did not want to leave a message so I persisted and called several times before a human picked up. The detective took my name and last four of my SSN and told me my assigned detective would call back. My assigned detective called back and I did my registration over the phone. Took about 5 minutes. The $25 fee is being waived.
I went to Registration in Duval also and they told me someone was going to call me on the phone….. 2 days later I got the call… & saved $25 !!