Barred from other shelters, registrants were left with few options as Hurricane Dorian approached.
For some people convicted of sex crimes in Florida, the only shelter open to them during Hurricane Dorian is the county jail.
In some counties, people on the registry are barred from shelters set up for those evacuating, and being told to go to separate locations, away from children and other community members. If they attempt to stay with friends or relatives, they face daunting residency and registration requirements, according to the Florida Action Committee, which advocates for reform of sex offender registry laws. Failure to comply can mean a felony conviction and incarceration.
In Osceola County, a separate shelter has been set up at the housing agency for “sex offenders,” meaning people on the registry, according to a local news report by WKMG-TV. And in Flagler County, registered sex offenders were directed to go to the sheriff’s office for shelter, according to a WJXT-TV report. The Nassau County Board of Commissioners website advised people on the sex offender registry to seek shelter in the county jail.
“It was such a traumatic experience to be incarcerated. I’m not going to subject myself to that voluntarily,” a representative with the Florida Action Committee told The Appeal. “I’d rather tie myself to a tree.”
I own my home and I am not going anywhere. It makes no sense to me that ever three months the sheriffs have to come out just to hear me say that nothing has changed.. And they agree with me. If I am going someplace out of the state I do my 48 hours and when I get where I am going I check in. Other than that I live here and intend to stay here until it is time for me to leave this earth.
I stopped traveling. I use to visit an elderly relative but the first time I went to the hick town sheriffs office to register there in South carolina, they held me for 2 hours checking me for warrants, telling every person who entered the lobby to steer clear of me because I was a disgusting sex creep. Then when I finally left, a patrol car followed me all the way to the relatives house and went door to door to all the neighbors and told them about me even though I am not listed as a predator. Needless to say, that was not a pleasant trip. I was told by one deputy if I don’t like it, I can get my nasty ass back in the car and head back from whence I came and don’t let the state line hit me in the ass. ( His exact words ).
I’ve never had any problems in Pennsylvania. They always treat me well when I go there. I have often wondered if they know that there was something wrong in my case and has something to do with the way they treat me. Who knows maybe it is just the officers there. in that barracks.
I believe this bears repeating:
“When people who have paid their debt to society and pay taxes are kept from voting you have government tyranny.”
Sex Offender laws are akin to Jim Crow laws and the Nazi Holocaust (to some degree) because:
instead of being based on facts, reason and results, they are based on personal animus and faulty notions based in mass-hysteria-driven fear.
It is mob violence-mentality, codified (made into law) so that it suspends the constitution and creates a bona-fide Bill of Attainder.
Populist ideology and fascist policies are what these things are based on.
Holocaust, Jim Crow, Government Blacklist … call it what you will.
It is ALL based on the same thoughts of hatred, scapegoating, and bully-boy tactics!
JJJJ, you are right on. To say it is something else is putting one’s head in the sand. Any time a whole group of people are put into the same category as a few who commit super heinous acts, it is nothing more than a government ‘blacklist’. When people who have paid their debt to society and pay taxes are kept from voting you have government tyranny. While some may say the registry cannot be compared to previous pogroms designed to eliminate certain people, I find it difficult to apply any other analogy.
I just got back from my lawyers office and he said I cannot complain that sex offenders are the only ones who have to register. He said that argument does not fly. I found out today there are three kinds of registrations that are mandatory. Sexual offenders, Released felons and Career criminals. I forgot to ask if they were a state statue or just something my county is doing ( Orange County , Fl ).
“Sex offenders” are the only ones who have to continually register. According to F.S. 775.13: Registration of convicted felons, exemptions; penalties. This is a one-time registration and there is no public list.
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0775/Sections/0775.13.html
The second category, according to F.S. 775.261: The Florida Career Offender Registration Act. This one is more onerous than the above, but far less onerous than the “sex offender” registry.
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0700-0799/0775/Sections/0775.261.html
This is a public list also, accessible by link on the FDLE website:
http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/coflyer/home.asp
A blank search will reveal there are 7,103 people in and out of Florida on this list. A far cry from the bloated “SOR” which sports nearly ten times that number.
Here’s what’s on the flyer for the first person on the registry [sorry dude]. Far less information than the “SOR.”
http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/coflyer/Poster.asp?Keys=9972
I think everyone misunderstood what I was trying to convey. I was just moaning to my lawyer and when I said we ( Sex offenders ) are the only ones who have to do registrations, he corrected me to something I did not know and glad I was told because I would look stupid telling that to a judge then getting mud on my face for not being more informed that there are other offenders who have to register.
The habitual offender list is online, and the soon to be formed John registry will be as well.
There’s actual nothing in Florida’s general felon registration statute that explicitly protects the privacy of the information. (Unlike similar statutes in Alabama and Nevada.) Seminole County posts its entire felon registry online. https://www.seminolesheriff.org/forms/registeredfelons.aspx?id=4
The felon registration is for only 5 years though. I’m pretty sure, but not positive, that habitual offender registration is for life.
If I am not mistaken, a John is a nickname for someone who hires a prostitute? Other than maybe a school or a church position, or someone’s wife, who in the heck cares if someone hires a prostitute?
I have said all along, eventually there will be a registry for everything. A person who lets their dog poo in someone else’s yard ( I am all for that one lol ) . But seriously, once everyone in the U.S is on a registry, will there then be some outcry?
Registries are for weddings and bar mitzvahs, not to punish someone and drag their names through the mud for the rest of their lives. So much for rehabilitation and 2nd chances.
People who love big government and can’t have too many laws must be very excited about expanding their big government harassment to tens of millions of people. Can we ever have too many people employed by government? How about 50% of working people work for government? That should be a measurement of how advanced a country is – how many paper pushers do you have “working” just to run your country? How many “work” in security theater and propaganda?
These Registries will not count as legitimate Registries though until all 50 states have them and there is an equivalent of federal SORNA. They aren’t even close to legitimate until they start telling these people where they can live, work, etc. How is it even conceivable that we allow Gun Offenders to live by schools?! Shocking.
They’ll get there. The big government boot lickers just have to keep working.
Will
You state there are way too many Government workers.
My question is, what the HELL are they doing? Have you ever tried to call the Social Security office? Check on your veteran’s benefits? Reach the driver’s license office?
I have been in places before where the phone was ringing off the hook. I said to the clerk ” I do not mind if you take that call, I can wait”. The common response is ” They will call back ” or ” I ain’t got no time to be answering the phone”.
I bet if one of those workers were the one trying to call in, they would go off on someone.
That is why I do as much business in person as I can, it makes it more personal since they have to look you in the eye to tell you no instead of laughing and hanging up on you as they say “Good luck”.
The Florida Career Offender Registration Act governs what the lawyer said about mandatory registration for habitual criminals. Most of the laws make it a misdemeanor for failing to register as a felon, except sex offenses which carry felony penalties for fIling to register.
Here is a good source of info about all registries.
https://www.jacksonvillecriminaldefenseattorneyblog.net/florida-felony-registration-requirements/
95% of sex offenders can hardly be classified as habitual offenders.
Dear Capt., yes. The career offenders have very high recidivism rates versus the low rates of sex offenders.
“TV meteorologist Mike Davis charged with pandering child pornography” some say it is good when high profile people like this are charged i say it is not because it brings more light to the crazies who want to impose more regulations on us. Another case of someone not on the list getting caught
Off topic: I was placed on a GPS Electronic Monitor after release solely due to homelessness after release from incarceration. My PO at the time merely emailed the Clerk of Court’s office, no proof that his supervisor approved or that the “Department of Corrections” recommended monitoring as statutorily mandated by Fla.Stat. 948.30(2)(e). I recently had a modification hearing in which the State objected to removal of the monitor, in direct violation of Rule, were I was sentenced in 2003, prior to the JLA, which is not retroactive law and was enacted September 1, 2005! I have contacted the Florida Action Committee, NARSOL, and the ACLU! Not one of these organizations give a shit unless it meets their issues! Don’t waist your time on these loser organizations, and don’t send them money to fight THEIR ISSUES! Let’s see if they post this fact or not!!! They don’t give a shit about us!
Sorry you feel that way, David. We did post your comment.
FAC is not a law firm, we are not lawyers and we are not licensed nor qualified to help people with their individual cases. We cannot apply our organizations resources to hire an attorney to assist you with your legal matter. We apply our resources to challenges that will benefit the members as a whole. In your situation, you should be contacting your criminal defense attorney for help with your case.
We’re sorry to see you go!
The Florida Action Committee and Narsol, are the ones that are doing everything possible through the State and Federal to Fix and repair a broken system, these people do so much to try and correct situations like yours and many others. Please show appreciation to the members and volunteers that work every single day to try and help us ALL. This is a family, a family of support, and a family of love. Please don’t leave because you feel left out, look at what they HAVE done and what they are doing. I am so grateful that both these organizations are here for ALL of us. Each and everyone one of us know that none of this is fair, and none of this is just. I will always support people who support and believe in me.
An AMEN goes out to Ron, FAC, and NARSOL. Without these two organizations we would be up a creek without a paddle.
An AMEN goes to our members who support our organization with donations. We are the canoe, but they are the paddle.
Unless we add fuel to the ship we’ll be going nowhere.
Well done brother!
So the only other situations I can think of where you can choose to revoke your freedom for jail, are probation and parole. Both are supervisory & therefore punitive.
What’s up the emergency evacuations rules making the registry punitive?
I have had local sheriff’s tell me they don’t agree with all of the laws, especially wasting resources to check on SO’s on Halloween. One sheriff even apologizes for the quarterly house check. As FAC said, they are only doing what they are hired to do.
The police don’t make the laws, Lauren Book and the like are the ones who make the laws. As long as she and her dad go unchecked, they will never stop making it more difficult for us to live a decent life in Florida.
Although I am in no way comparing us on the registry to those I am about to list, the situation is similar.
Leading up to and during WW11 Jews were separated from others and later worse. They also had to wear a patch on their clothing designating them as a lower class of citizen.
During segregation, African Americans had separate bathrooms, drinking fountains etc and had few if any rights
For many years those in the gay community faced hate and shame.
Like I said, I am not trying to take away at all from what those people went through but when we start treating people like they can never amount to anything or everyone is better than you and you can never change and we are going to hold you down, that is more that pretty sad.
And yes there are people who stick up for us and fight for us like FAC, just as there were German Citizens who hid the Jews. People who hid slaves and helped them escape and those who took in gay youth who were kicked out of their houses.
Hopefully one day we can have our victory and breakthrough as well. We do not need to change the population’s way of thinking, just one compassionate judge who has the authority to correct this atrocity.
Cherokee Jack,
I am trying to eventually use some of the comments made by FAC members who are on the registry with Florida legislators and possibly media outlets. You will remain anonymous. Would you allow me to use your above comments in reference to Jewish people, African Americans, gays, and registrants? I understand if you prefer that I not.
Have at it my friend 🙂 Whatever helps
Let’s not analogize registrants to Jews, African Americans, LGBTQ or any other protected class. I know it sure feels that way, but persons required to register are not recognized, legally, as a protected class; and people who are discriminated against because of their religion, race, orientation, etc. did nothing wrong, whereas people discriminated against because they are on the registry may not deserve the discrimination or it might be irrational, they did something wrong. If we try to make the comparison there’s a clear legal and moral distinction that we can never overcome and is offensive to those we are trying to compare ourselves to.
Here was my first line the paragraph. I was making a comparison of the way they and we are treated because we are different according to other people. We have done our time so point in fact, we should not be on some registry facing possible a higher prison time for violating some law that was made decades after we went to court. The very thing FAC I thought stood for.
Oppression is oppression. Doesn’t matter how your parse and mince words. It IS accurate to conflate our plight to their marginalization. And we are a protected class. Last time I checked we’re human beings with liberty and privacy interests. Those pre-existing rights to safety, security and privacy have been circumvented in the name of security theater. We’ve been reverse engineered to be something that we’re not – sexually dangerously and void of trust.
It’s really undermining and an affront to claim we’re not protected.
Scott,
There are certain persons recognized under US Law to be protected from discrimination. These classes include, sex, race, age, disability, national origin, religion, etc. The laws establishing these “Protected Classes” include; the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, etc.
There is currently no federal law that establishes persons required to register as a “Protected Class” in the legal definition of the term. I truly and sincerely wish there were, but there is none.
Yes, as human beings we are entitled to protection from being physically harmed (for example, criminal laws that prohibit battery) and protection from suppression of our speech (for example, the First Amendment), but we are not a “protected class” in the same sense as someone of religious or ethnic minority. There is simply no “Brown v. Board of Education” for registrants. If you can find it, PLEASE share it!
And RSOs do not NEED to be a protected class. The need is to abolish the registry, or at least abolish public internet registry and revert back to police registry as they have had in the past and still have in some other countries (and states).
Were we to have a non-public registry, most nonsense calling for “protecting” former sex offenders as a “class” would go away.
To the comment of them doing nothing wrong, it would seem that the people punishing them think otherwise.
Two things that prevent elected officials from taking us seriously are comparisons to the civil rights movement and (especially) Holocaust. They are not the same thing and, thank G-d, never will be, so be sure to use caution here.
Jim Crow laws touched every part of life. In South Carolina, black and white textile workers could not work in the same room, enter through the same door, or gaze out of the same window. Many industries wouldn’t hire blacks: Many unions passed rules to exclude them.
In Richmond, one could not live on a street unless most of the residents were people one could marry. (One could not marry someone of a different race.) By 1914, Texas had six entire towns in which blacks could not live. Mobile passed a Jim Crow curfew: Blacks could not leave their homes after 10 p.m. Signs marked “Whites Only” or “Colored” hung over doors, ticket windows, and drinking fountains. Georgia had black and white parks. Oklahoma had black and white phone booths.
Prisons, hospitals, and orphanages were segregated as were schools and colleges. In North Carolina, black and white students had to use separate sets of textbooks. In Florida, the books couldn’t even be stored together. Atlanta courts kept two Bibles: one for black witnesses and one for whites. Virginia told fraternal social groups that black and white members could not address each other as “Brother.”
Though seemingly rigid and complete, Jim Crow laws did not account for all of the discrimination blacks suffered. Unwritten rules barred blacks from white jobs in New York and kept them out of white stores in Los Angeles. Humiliation was about the best treatment blacks who broke such rules could hope for. Groups like the Ku Klux Klan, which revived in 1915, used venom and violence to keep blacks “in their place.”
What’s next? Water fountains designated for “Perfect People Only”? In that case most politicians would lie to themselves and then take a big gulp of water.
My Dad was a student at Central High School in Little Rock Arkansas when the National Guard had to escort the first black students into the school. Dad said some white student were throwing rocks at the black kids. ( No my Dad did not throw any rocks )
Truly I tell you, whatever you did to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did to me.
Matthew 25:40
”Legislators don’t need experience, but prior work in government, business or management is helpful. Public office is very demanding, and candidates must demonstrate effective leadership, communication and people skills.”
This… What is this? This information comes as the result of searching this phrase:
“What does it take to be a legislator”
I’m all for a Judge to do what they have been elected to do and correctly interpret the law.
I do not, however, believe a judge should be elected who hasn’t any experience within the field of law.
How is it then that those who are creating and passing laws aren’t required to have any experience whatsoever? In any field?
I am college educated and try and comment when I have knowledge or just have an opinion. However I have no answer or solution for what you asked. I guess any Joe or Mary can get elected to do something without having any knowledge of the position. When I worked in the police department, I had a college degree and could have gone to some 2 traffic light town and become police chief but I would not have had any idea what I was doing. Education, Knowledge and experience combined make a good candidate for someone in office.
What does it take to be a legislator…? $$$$ An honest, hard working, constitutionally dedicated individual could not afford to be a legislator. Those that are elected are for the most part elected to push a funded agenda.
True sickness
Question: I’m a single father of two. If I had to go to a shelter, what would they do with my children?
Would they make us all go to jail?
You would not be able to bring your children with you. You should contact your local sheriff’s office to see what provisions (if any) they would make.
Where would my minor children go? Or where would they take them?
I’ll tie myself to a tree in my yard before I allow myself to be incarcerated for any reason. They can pucker up and kiss my chocolate starfish because I’m not leaving. Period. I’d move to Canada if I could, except that I’d still be on Florida’s registry, and I’m staying put until that garbage is gone, too.
How do they treat the minors that they have put on the registry? Do they allow them in the shelters when they go with their parent or guardian? If they turn away a minor on the registry does that mean the guardian must also go to jail with that minor? How does the registry truly protect that “one child” if they are breaking up families or if a minor registrant is turned away.
I think that we, as a community, can solve this one our own. There should be a way for people on one coast to connect with people one the opposite side of the State, IN ADVANCE of a storm and pre-establish an evacuation address. This can then be registered with the sheriff’s office. In the event of an evacuation in say Daytona, one could tell the sheriff this is where I’ll be. Sure would make it easier on all of us. Well?
Go to jail or go to jail? I would rather die as a fighting man than to die like the coward they think we all are. The real cowards are the cops who fail to uphold their oath to the constitution.
Do the cops take an oath to uphold the constitution? I think their oath is to uphold the law. If laws are unconstitutional, that’s not on them.
But the cops are a driving force that could be the front line voice of reason if they wanted to be. But they aren’t. Cops think this charade is a waste of time, as do most of the 67 county sheriffs, but we don’t seem to see much feedback getting to lawmakers from law enforcement.
They will just say “they are doing their job” and the reality is; these absurdities create jobs for the people who have to enforce them.
FAC’s comment reminds me of the defense used by NAZI criminals at the Nuremberg trials after WW II. When they lined up Jewish men, women, and children and put a bullet in their heads they claimed they were just following orders…doing their job. “Doing my Job” when it is outside the Constitution, even though within the law, is a weak, sleazy excuse to justify legal criminality. When a cop sees wrong being done they have the obligation to ‘throw in the towel’ rather than involve themselves with injustice or they are just as guilty of crime as the people they are ‘herding’. This may be the reason we see people finally taking a stand against law enforcement.
Thank you, FAC, for your clear-eyed realism on this issue and for not falling prey to foolish Nazi Holocaust analogies (not trying to pick on any one person, but I’m seeing these a lot, they are foolish and risk us losing credibility with legislators and the public).
Jacob, you are living in a dream world. You have apparently avoided any study of how corrupt governments put people in categories and then focus on making one category a threat to the other categories. “Just doing their Job” is not justification for criminality. With your attitude you will just be putting yourself in line to be a victim eventually. We need to bring the evil into the ‘light’.
I respectfully disagree.
SO laws are very much like both the holocaust and Jim Crow.
Yes, those people were persecuted for things that they couldn’t help, but so are we.
BECAUSE…
1. There is no way to change the past, therefore, we are being persecuted for something that is entirely beyond our control. (If I could only turn back time!)
2. This hatred of us is irrational because results-driven public policy to combat the problems of sexual abuse is the rational (logical) course of action. Yet, these people choose irrationality because of blind hatred.
3. We are systematically denied the rights to participate in public life, and our political voice has been extremely eroded – especially in Florida.
No, Jacob (and FAC). I respectfully disagree.
And I forgot to mention the most obvious thing:
that all of us are on a government blacklist that curtails our rights to privacy, freedom of movement, and numerous other constitutional and basic human rights.
Let’s be frank, here. Please!
I’m sorry, but I have to agree with JJJJ. When a debt is paid, it is paid. If everyone who did something wrong…unsavory…was never ever able to be forgiven, then everyone would be stuck with a ‘ball and chain’ around their necks for a lifetime. No one could even qualify to be a law enforcement officer to herd all those ‘bad’ people around. At this point, our calling is to live a squeaky, clean life and leave no opening for one to justify’ discrimination. I said ‘justify’. That doesn’t mean it won’t happen, but the perpetrator will be the ‘bad guy’.
Also other felons when released get to be called “EX” felons as they are no longer committing a crime ( Supposedly ) but we do not get to be called Ex offender or ex sex offender , we still have to be labeled sex offenders like we are at every moment committing new offenses when no one is looking.
I had mentioned a few months back how silly people are. The School bus stop is close to my house and all the parents wait for the their kids to make sure I do not swing from a vine and snatch them up. However, once they get home and eat dinner, they are in the street right in front of my house playing ball or whatever they do out there with no parental protection.
Dear FAC and anyone else concerned, the following is a link to the Florida Highway Patrol’s oath of office, which specifically states that they will support the US Constitution. Given that this is a state agency, it stands to reason that all Florida Leo’s take a similar oath.
https://www.flhsmv.gov/florida-highway-patrol/about-fhp/oath-of-office/
No one should be in a position of authority of any kind without pledging to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. We have a constitution to protect citizens from over zealous authoritarians who believe they are God’s gift to humanity.
I need an o2 concentrator and a nebulizer as well as my many prescriptions does the jail supply the concentrator and nebulizer or am I suppose to?
I would take your equipment/meds with you if you need to evacuate. I hope you have a portable concentrator that can be plugged in/recharged. I doubt that those at the jail even understand the needs of someone who is oxygen dependent so you may need to educate them. I’ve never met anyone in LE with a clue.
LEO are supposed to be able to use their lawful discretion. To bad they just blindly enforce mankind’s laws instead. They are nothing more than the civil military for lawmakers, and not actual human beings.
Are RSO’s supposed to leave their family members in shelters with drug dealers, murderers, home invaders, drunks, etc? Has this world gone totally crazy? As for me, I will die a free man before I would ever volunteer to go back to jail for ‘safety’.
Such a good point. Are they patrolling the shelters? Their reasoning on restrictions for offenders makes zero sense. If you aren’t in jail now, then what is the point? Do they think a violent storm will suddenly cause someone to reoffend? If so, then they darn well better exclude anyone with any type of record. Yes, the world is totally crazy.
Capt. Munsey,
Are you okay with my using some of your comments that you have posted at this FAC website with Florida legislators and media outlets? Your name will not be used.
Sarah, I am more than happy for you to use any or all of my comments. I’m not afraid to call a spade a spade. If my comments offend a legislator then they need to be offended. The truth hurts. I do a weekly blog on “Politics and the Church” and have been doing it weekly for almost four years . Give me a call and I’ll get you connected to it. I discuss all sorts of failures by our politicians. At last check it was being read in six different countries.
The registry is blatant fascism in the form of a government blacklist.
It must be eradicated as a cancer
…(by any means).
I’d rather die than go back to jail!!! When I was homeless in Clay County my PO told me to sit at a police substation. It was okay with the dispatcher until an asshole cop say me and told me to leave!!!