The following is an excerpt from an article by Nicole I. Pittman and Riya Saha Shah of Impact Justice. The article is titled, “Cruel and Unusual: the Case Against Registering Kids as Sex Offenders” and you understand more, from these personal accounts, how horribly punitive the registry can be for relatively innocent offenses.
“Jason was 14 years old and living in a foster home in Richmond, California, when he met his first girlfriend, a 13-year-old neighbor named Tianna. A few months into their relationship, Tianna’s mother discovered them engaging in oral sex. It was consensual, but the law in California treats any sexual activity with someone under age 14 as child molestation. Jason was prosecuted in juvenile court, and before he was even old enough to drive, his name and address were added to the California Sex Offender Registry.
Brandon was only 11 years old when he was registered as a sex offender—all because of a silly game among kids home alone. In a twist on musical chairs, Brandon’s 13-year-old sister turned off the lights and told everyone to undress and then try to quickly redress before she turned the lights back on. Brandon, always the clown, thought it would be funny if he left his clothes off. When the lights came on, he was standing there naked. Everyone laughed, then he got dressed and they all ate pizza. But when a seven-year-old girl who had taken part in the game told her mother she had seen Brandon’s penis, the police got involved and charged Brandon with indecent exposure. He was adjudicated delinquent in a Texas juvenile court, and from then on known as a sex offender.
Jason is now 34 years old. Despite earning a college degree, he cannot find steady employment, is often homeless, and suffers from acute depression. As a young adult, Brandon also was frequently homeless. Unable to provide a permanent address for the sex offender registry, he was convicted three times for failure to register, and each time sentenced to prison. After his third term in prison, he became increasingly depressed. Unable to find work, he was arrested within a year for theft. Calling Brandon a “career criminal,” the judge sentenced him to 15 years to life. Now 31 years old, Brandon has spent the majority of his life behind bars.”
These kids and indeed the entire families of “sex offenders” are seen as damaged, tainted, and just collateral damage. The entire family is made to suffer with these discriminatory laws and endlessly changing rules designed to make the ex-offender’s life unmanageable and frankly unliveable.
This cruel and unusual punishment is extended to all those in the ex-offender’s family and is especially cruel for the children. Little wonder with online bullying at an all time high that these children would be teased and hounded relentlessly like animals until some simple can not take it any longer.
This government sanctioned torture and abuse of families including CHILDREN does nothing to protect children but quite the opposite.
This inhuman treatment of American citizens must stop and must stop NOW!
Here is an excerpt from the full article (need to click through 2 pages to get to the full text) that ought to give some of us some hope. I was not aware of this and it may be old news, but darn, is it nice to hear:
“As of February 2015, Pennsylvania became the first in the
country to prohibit juvenile registration both prospectively
and retrospectively. All previously registered youth in
Pennsylvania received notice that their names had been
removed from the registry.”
Scott – I wonder if they go back on when they become an adult?
Good question. I will assume no (my record on assumptions recently is not too good though, ask my boardgamer buddies, lol @ me) because I would imagine that would create a real legal quagmire for the state. I’ll have to spend some of my time to go look at the PA legislation.
these are all of course all horrible stories we have have all either lived or heard about from fellow rso’s on a daily basis
the unfortunate thing is no one who can change anything cares
thats why things continue to get worse