Last week we were contacted by a member in Illiniois, Carol, with a heart-breaking story. Carol is the mother of two children, a son and a daughter. Carol’s son, Adam, suffers from Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD – what was formerly referred to as “mentally retarded”). As she described it, “even though [her] son is in a man’s body, his mind is that of a ten-year old.” He needs to be reminded to perform routine functions, such as eating, showering and putting on clean clothes. He will forever be dependent on his parents.
Seven years ago, when he was in his mid-20’s, he exposed himself to a young neighbor. He is required to register as a sex offender. As she describes it, “since my son understands none of the requirements of registration, it is my husband and I who live the registry. We have to make sure to take him to register because he does not have a clue when he’s supposed to go.”
Carol’s story was featured in the Marshall Project, but her story continued…
Recently tragedy struck their family when Carol’s grandson (daughter’s son) died. They now have to shuttle between Florida (where the daughter lives) and Illinois (where the son lives) in order to provide support to both their children.
They would love to move their son to Florida, but because he cannot live independently or go out on his own, they would be subject to the same requirements and restrictions as him. Compliance would be on them and any misstep here would be their fault and subject their son to a mandatory minimum sentence with a GPS monitor. For their son, who has sensory issues, an ankle monitor would be torture. Also, since Florida registers people for life (in IL he will be off after 10 years), their son would be left helpless after they are gone. There will be no one to look after his compliance with the registry rules and nowhere that will take a sex offender.
Over the years we’ve heard from MANY parents of persons required to register who have mental health issues such as IDD, autism or bipolar disorder. We also hear from many who have Alzheimer’s or dementia. With an aging registrant population, inevitably many of us will one day find ourselves in this category. It’s very scary!
Carol’s story is not unique. Carol was just courageous enough to share her story publicly and motivated enough to start an organization, Legal Reform for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (LRIDD.org), to help families who are going through the same thing as her and to advocate for changes to laws.
Florida makes no provisions for registrants with mental health issues or those who are simply aging (which includes all registrants). While most states don’t either, most don’t also have lifetime registries so they don’t need to be concerned about aging registrants who have not committed a crime in decades. Recently, the Miami Herald wrote a story highlighting this issue, so we’re certainly not the first to point out the problem.
I was touched by Carol’s story and motivated by her efforts. We want to help her and others in the same situation!
Please write to your Senator and/or Representative to let them know about Carol’s situation and tell them you want a Bill that will create a safety valve for persons required to register who have mental disabilities which render them incapable of independently complying with the registration laws, or who are elderly or physically disabled such that they no longer present a risk to public safety. While you are at it; suggest a tiered registry according to the Federal SORNA tiers, so that there will be a solution for aging people who have completed probation, completed treatment and remained offense free for an appropriate number of years.
I know we all want to hope change comes but I think it’s time we all peacefully band together nationwide. Civil rights didn’t come in a day but there was a man who became the face of a movement and the people stood behind him, we need to protest to March to make noise in unison not as individuals and not only through the court systems but we have to move in unity. It’s time we make some noise. How can we bring this together
I guess something I said wasn’t in line with political correctness here on FAC’s comments? I see that my comment was not published and I made a damn good point. Thanks
I will edit the comment so that it’s not offensive.
Every member of FAC and their families should watch the Dr. Phil show aired today, Dec. 11th, about the movement by sex offender hunters to harm and even kill registered citizens…regardless of mental issues that may have caused someone to be placed on the registries.
I just mailed letters to my two legislators yesterday concerning the proposed “compassionate release” bill. They might get tired of hearing from me, but because of our legislature’s lack of knowledge in this area, I am going to be emailing them again concerning this new issue, pushing again for risk assessments and a Sex Offender Management Board (SOMB). Some of you have probably already sent an email to them. We all thank you. For those of who have not, FAC makes it so easy for us — just click on the Senator or Representative link above and easily click on the email link for your legislators. All of us can write three or four sentences to them on the travesty of this situation and others similar to them.
There is no stamp, no envelope, just write several sentences but make them count. Remember, they know that there will 100 other people out there who feel as you do.
We see it all the time in the news — a small but vocal group who eventually make a big change. FAC leadership does so much for us, but only we can send these emails.
My sincerest apologie. Any of the above suggestions is tantamount to political suicide in Florida. Until either the voter base in Florida demand that those in office address this issue or the Federal government mandates a solution to this there will be no change in Florida.
I do my best to stick with facts and leave personal opinion to myself. So I’ll leave off with this. May I suggest bringing this information to the voter base somehow?
My son is intellectually and developmentally disabled. He exhibits a variety of delays. But one area in which he won’t experience delays is adolescence, which is about to begin for him. He won’t know what to do, and I don’t know what to do. I don’t even know where to start. A single instance of indecent exposure or inappropriate touching during adolescence would subject him to a life sentence on Florida’s registry, with which he will never be equipped to comply. He depends on me, but I’m not going to live forever.
But what is “an appropriate number of years?” The better years of a person’s life? When they’re too old to enjoy anything anymore such as travel, family outings, a new relationship, etc? Who determines what “an appropriate number of years” even is? Also, if we’re going to put mentally disabled people on the registry, we may as well arrest them at birth for daring to be born with a disability.
Isn’t it funny how some treat those with mental disabilities as inferiors who are incapable of doing more than menial tasks such as bagging groceries, but the moment they do something they don’t even realize is a crime, we’re quick to punish them as if they should have known better.
Typical catch 22, good old USofA for you.
Maestro, The same policy states that a minor who sends a nude picture of herself is making a victim of an innocent, naive, child (herself). Yet as naive as she is as the victim, she is mature enough as the perpetrator to be tried as an adult. Therefore she should be punished as the perpetrator to bring justice to the victim (herself). Will 10 years on the registry be enough? With new mandated reporting laws, parents can send their teenager who may have a development disorder to a child psychologists who will be obliged to place the sexting teen on the registry. Parents may then have to move to a new home if they live near a school. If they can’t afford this then the developmentally disabled teen might be homeless. Without assistance he may not be in compliance with the registry and may be in and out of incarceration. When the railroads were completed, and we no longer needed the Chinese we made opium laws to lock them away. When robotics replaced the black men working on the assembly line, we created the “war on drugs” (war on black unskilled labor really). Our government has a plan for your developmentally challenged child. When he grows up, he can be in prison just like the black men the 1% see no value in!