Reforming Florida’s Sex Offender Registry Laws
New York City covers about 302.6 square miles in total area. According to New York City government information, there are more than 1,700 parks and recreational sites in the city, there are also about 2,667 playgrounds citywide. Add to that, 2,700–2,900 K-12 schools. That’s roughly 7,167 “places where children congregate”. That’s an average of 23.68 such landmarks per square mile,
Read moreThis weekend, Villages-News.com reported on a residential fire in The Villages (Florida) under the headline: “Convicted sex offender suffers severe burns in fire at home in The Villages.” The facts of the story are straightforward. Two men were severely injured in an accidental garage fire, reportedly caused by an electrical issue involving a portable air conditioning unit. Both were airlifted
Read moreYesterday, attorney Guy Hamilton-Smith argued on behalf of registrants in Missouri, before the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. A recording of the arguments can be found here: https://media-oa.ca8.uscourts.gov/OAaudio/2026/4/251892.MP3 Please listen to the arguments and share your thoughts below. The case is Jane Does vs. David Flannigan (25-1892) You can read the Appellant’s Brief here: Does v. Flannigan – Appellants Brief
Read moreThis morning headlines across Florida news outlets are reporting about a missing teen found in a registrant’s closet, but the way this story is being framed obscures far more than it reveals. The implication being drawn is that the sex offender registry played some role in protecting the child or identifying danger. In reality, the facts point in the opposite
Read moreOK. If the title sounds familiar, it’s because I “borrowed” it from the landmark study by Hanson, Harris, ET AL. that was titled, “High-risk sex offenders may not be high risk forever”, but it fit here nicely. A case filed earlier this month in Oregon, M.H. v. Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision, challenges how the state retroactively classifies individuals
Read moreThe headlines write themselves, but the irony is harder to ignore. Two members of Congress, Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales, resigned yesterday facing serious allegations of sexual misconduct. These are not obscure figures operating in the shadows. These are lawmakers. Individuals entrusted with crafting, supporting, and voting on the very laws that govern millions of Americans, including those forced to
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