MICHIGAN — Could the sex offender registry soon be a thing of the past? The American Civil Liberties Union wants to possibly get rid of it, saying the registry doesn’t work. Right now, there are two cases out of Michigan, including a class action lawsuit, claiming several parts of the registry are unconstitutional.
“In August 2016, the federal court of appeals held that Michigan’s registry is unconstitutional.” Attorney for the ACLU in Michigan, Miriam Aukerman, said.
Aukerman represents hundreds of convicted sex offenders fighting the public registry and some of the sex offender restrictions imposed by the state. That suit is in response to the state of Michigan not coming into compliance with the Court of Appeals decision.
“Basically what the court of appeals said is that the registry is so ineffective, so broken, that it violates the constitution. What we know, through research, is that registries don’t work. They don’t keep people safe.”
We all know from personal experience that the registry is nothing but punishment. Turning neighbors against neighbors. Inciting hate crimes. Inciting hypocrisy in christian crowd by causing judgement. Punishing entire families and roommates of a registered citizen via web sites like Nextdoor, which I believe is so that neighbors can gossip and condemn without the registered citizen, families and roommates knowing what’s being said and not being able to explain anything. It’s intended to cut offenders out completely, just like other countries are doing with banning registered citizens.
When has any law ever stopped anything? People still break speed limits. Still text while driving. Still steal and kill each other. Laws do not stop anything, nor do they protect anyone. They only provide a means for lawmakers, prosecutors, judges, etc. to profit off the abuse and suffering of their fellow humans who are created equally. Think about it…where would they make all that money, fill prisons with slave labor, if there were no laws…?
I now understand what the old saying, “Laws/rules are meant to be broken” really means. THEY KNOW PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BREAK THEM. They KNOW they are going to reap massive profits. And they love to lord over their fellow, EQUAL humans. It truly is a sick psychotic mentality when you put the microscope to it.
I hope and pray and believe the ACLU can win this and then there will be precedence to do it here and in every state. As more and more people wake up to what is really going on…the laws are only about re-elections and profits…it will be easier and quicker for wisdom and common sense to manifest.
if it does succeed MI will have 500,000 new residents 1/2 of the hit list
It’s nice to see the ACLU stepping up after 20+ years to actually discuss dismantling the registry. The registry should have NEVER been allowed to get this far, this pervasive and this perverted.
Just a side note: This page showed up in my Google News feed on my new phone. Wonder how much referred traffic showed up to this page as a result of the link from Google News? With so few comments I wonder if Google might be suggesting items to me specifically, on a new phone even though I signed into a fresh account. Now wondering if I was tracked via location, rather than actual account…. or based on my SIM card’s registered number? I’m freaking out a bit if that’s the case. I’m just hoping it’s a general news item on the news feed!
Glad to see that some people in positions to make these decisions are using common sense and reality to do the right thing. Hopefully, this inspires everybody else across the country to use common sense and reality, as well, when it comes to making decisions like this, instead of just recklessly accepting “Feel-Good” laws that don’t work.
If a state such as Michigan abolished the registry, how will that effect people that have a federal case? Do they no longer have to register in that state? Just slightly confused.
I will literally have a heart attack the day I receive an email with this headline BUT with Florida as the state.
Why doesn’t the ACLU care about all the abuse and inhuman conditions forced upon registrants in Florida?
Seems like Florida would be the logical place to attack the registry being one of the most is not THE most worst offenders of citizen’s rights violators!!!
If there has to be a registry, then let it be for predators and repeat offenders.
I have no interest in reoffending. I don’t have a history of sex offenses. Every case is different and particular and deserves due process in determining someone’s risk factor.
With that I ask you… What is a sexual predator? The law says all it takes is a first degree felony. But surely the designation in the general public’s eye is someone who is out to pillage the woman and children. This was my designation and I assure you am not that at all . The emotional drain and roller coaster ride led me to prematurely plea out. So, if there is going to be a registry let it be through due process,scrutiny,medical examination that conclude a true risk to society. Not just for a particular offense but for all public crime offenses.
There would have to a Federal ruling and act of Congress to stamp out Megan’s Law. If individual States lawfully conclude constitutional rights violations then it could become a trend of dropping the registry. But even with ACLU support laws and punishment are going in a much different direction than this possible ruling. JEV
Correct. Registry doesn’t do a damn thing but cause grief, hit list, and allows law enforce to collect fee for their budgets and have a easy and fast way to boost arrest numbers to protect their federal grants etc. Also help fill beds to meet quota for prison funds and contracts on private run jails. Heck FL been using chat rooms to set people up and with no victim they make the numbers all around plus for request behavioral class cost of about $4,000 in 2 yrs. Monitors to felons with now car home etc and no way to charge them boxes and if not charged that a violation ….
Technology is a cheap and easy way to make the ####’s and $$$$$
actual police work etc long gone! all politics.
Since I live in Michigan, I have been following this from the start. Even though the Federal Sixth Circuit Court absolutely held that retroactive application of changes in registry rules are unconstitutional more than 2 years ago, the legislature STILL has not adjusted that law, leaving registrants like myself having to comply with retroactive changes or risk being arrested for noncompliance. It leaves the courts as the only option to fix the situation, which is actually what the spineless politicians in Lansing want to happen. Then they can wash their hands of the whole matter. The interesting thing this year is that Michigan’s new Attorney General is already on record as opposing the sex offender registry law because of its ineffectiveness at doing anything except making life harder for registrants and their families. That leaves it entirely possible that a lawsuit to abolish the registry can actually succeed. We can pray that it will succeed, and that it will spread to other States.
How about we NOT pray but rather request/demand that the ACLU take on the problem in Florida where it seems to be the worse of the worse – NO – not sex offenders but rather government offences/abuses against registered citizens aka sex offenders!
If this were to go on in multiple city/states at the same time it would create the sort of momentum that we need to raise public awareness of the uselessness and the lifetime punishment (including those precious children they are always rambling about) so many face with this unAmerican and illegal registry and show the need for real change!
The ONLY thing that politicians like Senator Lauren Book can understand are numbers and when the polls show that their lies and fake numbers – over 60% of those listed on Florida’s registry DO NOT live in the state – for example – THEN we might actually see some terribly needed help for those in Florida who have been victimized by Senator Lauren Book and her kind for far too long!!
Texas Law says if you have a Deferred Adjudication Sex Offences , “Rape” you have to register for. 10 years after your probation has ended. So you complete your probation, say you have 7 years deferred Adjudication , you complete it , now after you complete it you register 10 more year after the fact. But in Texas deferred Adjudication , is not a felony, you can vote , own a fire arm , your not a convicted felon. But you still have to register as a Sex Offender. This is a second punishment.
Complete agreement.. It called the Out of state Challenge