Harassment of Registered Sex Offenders
The harassment of registered sex offenders is a serious problem. California has required the registration of convicted sex offenders with local law enforcement agencies since 1947, but it was not until 1995 that the registration list became publicly available. In the 20 years since, registered sex offenders, regardless of the crime that put them on the list, have found that public access to their personal information has left them open to a new form of lifetime punishment not envisioned by the court: harassment.
If you are a registered sex offender, you may experience harassment in many forms. It can be as simple as rude remarks and insults from strangers on the street, or it may be a neighbor who constantly calls the police to visit your home for the slightest of reasons. So is there anything you can do to avoid harassment?
You Have the Right to Be Free from Harassment
Many registered sex offenders believe that their placement on the registration list means they are powerless against harassment from others. The attitude seems to be “I did something wrong, so I have to deal with this.” However, the truth is you still have the right to live a peaceful life that is no different from any other resident of California, and there are several things you can do to ensure that right.
The first step you should take is to document what you are experiencing. If you find that the same person is continually annoying or threatening you, keep a journal of his or her activity. Write down the date, time, and description of the harassing behavior. If the person has harassed you by constantly calling the police with false complaints, take down the responding officers’ names, and the nature of the false complaints. You will want to have a record of the harassment that you can refer to when you decide to take the next steps.
Civil Harassment Restraining Orders
Like any other resident, you have the right to file a restraining order to prevent another person from contacting you or coming within a specified distance of you and your home. An experienced attorney can help you file a restraining order by explaining what you need to show to convince the court that your harasser should be ordered to stay away from you.
If the court grants the restraining order, the restrained person will not be able to:
- Contact you or any member of your household;
- Go near you, your children, or others who live with you, no matter where you go;
- Go to your work, your school, or your children’s school; or
- Own a gun
If the restrained person violates the order, he or she could have to pay a fine, go to jail, or both. Also, if your harasser is not a U.S. citizen, violating the restraining order could result in his or her deportation. You could also use the restraining order as a step toward a civil suit for harassment against the person who is causing the problem.
Contact the Police
The requirement that you register as a sex offender does not mean that you have given up your right to be protected by the police. If you receive threats, or if your neighbor constantly files false complaints, you should bring this to the attention of your local law enforcement agency.
Under California Penal Code section 422, it is a crime to willfully threaten to commit a crime that will result in death or great bodily injury to another person with the intent that the victim takes the statement as a threat, and that reasonably places the victim in state of sustained fear. The law treats threats the same, no matter the past of the person at whom the threat is directed. You should always treat a threat seriously and bring it to the attention of law enforcement.
No one likes to have their time wasted, and the police are no different. If the harassment you are receiving involves multiple calls to the police to have them visit your home, show the police how many times they have been called by a neighbor for no reason. They might pay a visit to the neighbor and warn them that you have a right to live peacefully, too. In some cases, law enforcement could decide to charge the person with the crime of filing a false police report.
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That does not work here in Flori-duh. Almost 10 yrs ago, I was the victim of a drive by shooting. I was not shot but my house was shot up pretty good. The police were called and as soon as the cop asked for my I.D. and saw the F.S. number on it say I was a sex offender, the investigation was over. I gave him names, vehicle identification even what kind of gun was used. but again as soon as he saw the F.S. # on my I.D., the cop told me ” nothing can be done right now, but we will keep in touch”. Yeah right, 10 yrs and not one work from the cops except to come by once a month to harass me.
The sex offenders registry should be for crimes against children or the mentally ill , not for parents to use as retaliation against a man who they claim pressed up against a 14-17 yr old .
The law for the registry is too broad and shamefully targets many men who do not belong on this list but are put on this to live a life of
harassment and being beaten up .
I am a victim of molestation by a brother in law who groomed me for a year before he did his dirty deed which I was 14 at time but a young dumb niave 14 yr old which was 30 yrs ago or more my sister stayed with him even after I confronted them and he admitted so my sister and her molesting husband turned Christian and saved and clean! Bull shit
Nope. The Sex Offense Registry should not exist. It is idiotic social policy. It is not needed. It is not beneficial. That is trivial to prove. It is counterproductive. It does nothing good but it does harm all of America and put every citizen in more danger.
is using there registration paper in order to get them yo come to a sting harassment focusing only on Ssex offenders a crime
Possibly, but in Florida the bar for entrapment is set almost unrealistically high. If you can prove that this is happening, and by proof i mean providing details that no reasonable person can doubt, then you definitely have a case. However, even with that information, this is only valid while the case in a pre conviction status.
Well, that may work in Cali, but here in Jim Crow central, the police won’t tell you who filed a complaint against you.
My neighbor has been harassed for 9 years he is on sex registry from a 20+ old lewd behavior charge . This neighbor went to the sex offenders church telling everyone what this mans crimes were , he planted a pot plant to get him arrested , he tells anyone and everyone who moves in area without kids that sex offender in neighborhood , the sex offender was beaten up 2 times by neighbors just. Because of the nasty neighbor , he also puts up flood lights shining in this neighbors windows all nite long and reves his truck engine all hours nite next to the offenders home also climbed over fence trying to get into offenders property, this has been a ongoing 9 yr harassment and the harasser is paranoid thinking the offender is screwing with his vehicles at nite so the nasty neighbor prowls around at nite all hours , I told this offender to get a attorney ASAP as this man is dangerous . Marion county Florida if anyone knows a good attorney for the sex offender getting this man to stop also what about espongment of sex offender list
Uhm yea…. So just complain? Sure…. That’ll work… Can u see a JUDGE issuing a restraining order for a SO!? I can see & hear the mockery now. They actually think this is a viable plan?? Smoke another one!!
Like a job, a vote, freedom of speech, after near twenty year off probation.
what about a person who has contaced the fdle 78 PAGES of times to harass someone..at what point does the fdle stop the harassment?