Key takeaways from the Socia analysis on Florida’s sex offender laws

FAC retained Dr. Kelly Socia as one of our experts in our recently filed lawsuit challenging (among other things) Florida’s sex offender residency and proximity restrictions. Dr. Socia is a Professor in the School of Criminology and Justice Studies and a Fellow for the Center for Public Opinion at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. He is the author of 50+

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What Do Victim/Survivors Actually Think About Sex Offender Registries?

There’s a an interesting new study published in the International Review of Victimology that takes a closer look at an assumption that has shaped sex-offender policy for decades: that public registries exist because victims and survivors want them. The study, performed by Kelly Richards of Queensland University of Technology in Australia came to a surprising conclusion. The participants’ views were

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KS: Kansas Supreme Court Reverses Convictions for Failing to Pay Sex-Offender Registration Fees

Here’s a good decision from the Kansas Supreme Court that touches on a question many of us have been asking about… these registration fees. What happens if you can’t afford them? [NOTE: This is Kansas, not Florida, but still a good indication of how judges might think.] In State v. Sims (August 14, 2026), the Kansas Supreme Court unanimously reversed

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NC: North Carolina Supreme Court Rules Procedural Mistake Can Keep You On The Registry

The North Carolina Supreme Court has issued a disappointing decision earlier this month concerning the ability of people on the sex offender registry to seek removal. In State v. Lingerfelt (August 14, 2026), the Court held that a person who fails to appeal an earlier determination of their federal SORNA tier cannot later challenge that determination in a subsequent petition

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The Government Can’t Keep You in the Dark

A recent decision from Florida’s Fourth District Court of Appeal has an important message for Florida’s counties: public records requests are not suggestions. And when the information is necessary to comply with a criminal law, “we’ll get around to it” isn’t good enough. During the first week of June 2026, the Florida Action Committee submitted Public Records Act requests to

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