The Dobbs Wire: Courts Addressing Issues Legislators Will Not

Banishment zones for those on the sex offense registry are euphemistically known as ‘residency restrictions.’   In 2015, the top court in Massachusetts struck down such local banishment schemes and, in its ruling, gave them a Bronx cheer:   “Except for the incarceration of persons under the criminal law and the civil commitment of mentally ill or dangerous persons, the days are

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Experts: Don’t rely on Megan’s Law to prevent sexual violence

ADVOCATES FOR OFFENDERS SAY MEGAN’S LAW REGISTRIES CONTINUE TO PUNISH THEM EVEN AFTER THEY HAVE SERVED THEIR SENTENCE. It was every parent’s worst nightmare. Seven-year-old Megan Kanka left her New Jersey home on July 29, 1994, for a summer afternoon bike ride around her neighborhood, but she never returned. Instead, neighbor Jesse Timmendequas lured her into his home by promising

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Florida is one of three states with lifetime disenfranchisement

Florida, Iowa and Kentucky are the only states to impose lifetime voting bans for felons unless their rights are restored by the governor. Prior governor Crist automatically restored civil rights upon completion of the sentence. Current governor Scott requires a long waiting period prior to an application. For a “sex offense”… good luck! We have a bunch of rights impacting

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12 year old girl in Florida arrested for pinching boy's butt

Cosmopolitan Magazine features this story about a 12 year old Seminole County girl being arrested for pinching a boy’s butt. Now we all agree that children should be taught boundaries and that there should be consequences for inappropriate behavior, but have we gone too far? The article quotes the girl as saying, “If I don’t do the community service, I

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