Reforming Florida’s Sex Offender Registry Laws
For eight years, Samuel Garza III worked at Starbucks in Clovis without any disciplinary actions. His colleagues respected him, the store named him “Employee of the Month,” and he was even tasked with training new employees, he says in court documents. When his manager discovered he was a registered sex offender, the company fired him in June 2025. The allegations
Read moreWe came across an interesting case out of the 6th Circuit, United States v. Buddi, that was decided earlier this month and has to do with “knowledge” in sex offenses. It’s a crime to “knowingly” persuade, induce, entice, or coerce a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. But the real fight in this case wasn’t about what the defendant
Read moreNews broke overnight that Joseph Duggar, one of the children on the popular TV reality show ’19 Kids and Counting’, was arrested over allegations of a sex offense involving a minor. On its own, a celebrity getting charged with a sex offense makes headlines, but what’s making people pause isn’t just the accusation — it’s the last name. That’s because
Read moreIn what can only be described as a breathtaking leap from questionable policy to outright farce, Fresno is now considering banning registrants from attending city council meetings. Under the new measure, registered sex offenders would be prohibited from attending city council meetings in person. Not schools. Not playgrounds. Not parks. City council meetings! The kind held in echoing chambers with
Read moreA study, currently under review, concludes that registries obscure sexual recidivism risk. The citation to the study is: Hanson, R. Karl, German Marquez Alcala, and J. J. Prescott. “UNDER REVIEW (submitted July 7, 2025, to Psychology, Public Policy, and Law). The conclusion is: There is no evidence,however, that current public sex offender registries contribute to community safety. One reason they
Read moreTwo recent reports out of Texas and California should force a long-overdue conversation about what “tough on crime” policies actually produce over time—not just in theory, but in real human and financial costs. In Texas, officials are grappling with soaring medical costs tied to aging individuals held under sex offender civil commitment and extended incarceration. Meanwhile, in California, policymakers are
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