Unnecessary Shaming: How Sex Offender Stigma Breaches the Irrelevant
Last night’s Florida Action Committee monthly member call was all about the family. Our guest, Shelley Kavanagh, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker currently working at the Centre for Offender Rehabilitation Education (CORE), is working on programs that aim to provide support for the families, and loved ones of registrants.
It’s important to acknowledge the victims of an underlying sexual offense, but there are other unintended victims that society has no problem trampling on; the family, friends and loved ones of registrants.
Like the person required to register, their family or anyone that lives with them suffer similar penalties. Their address is also a red dot on the sex offender map. Their vehicles are also registered and flagged in license plate scanners. Their associates and co-workers also shun them or question their judgment as if they’ve done something wrong.
The families, particularly the children of registrants, suffer. Their fathers (or mothers) can’t participate in their education, attend their sporting events or graduations. Visit them in hospitals. They cannot decorate for Halloween or Christmas. They cannot have parties or sleepovers.They grow up under a cloud of shame and isolation. It’s no wonder that children of registrants have such high rates of suicide.
Employers of sex offenders are also shamed. A few years ago, Miami’s ABC affiliate, Local10 news posted the employers of sex offenders. For what point? To hurt their business? To get them fired so that people who are trying to get their lives back on track are destabilized? All that does is hurt those willing to help someone reintegrate and take food out of the mouths of the families the registrant is working to support.
One hour ago, the New York Post posted an article about a man that sued Burger King. The article concludes, “[..] was convicted in 1994 of first-degree sexual abuse and first-degree sexual penetration and sentenced to about 6½ years in prison, according to Oregon Live. He was required to register as a sex offender for life. He told the site that the conviction is 25 years old and that he’s been a law-abiding citizen with no other convictions ever since.” The lawsuit that he brought has nothing to do with anything sexual. Why the NY Post and multiple other news outlets would even mention his conviction 25 years ago is completely irrelevant and unnecessary.
It’s one thing to impose the registry stigma where there’s a rational public safety interest – it’s completely different when the topic or target of the shame is irrelevant. When the line is crossed, you enter into the territory of intentionally causing emotional distress.
Let’s let 2019 be the year we start pushing back!
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In Texas, it is a 3rd degree FELONY to use any information from the SO registry to harass or intimidate the registree. Try getting law enforcement to do their job. Good luck. Even with recordings (video/audio).
why didn’t they mention all the kids on the sex offender’s street? A lot of people would probably rather the sex offender on their street not be listed, because it makes them have to keep their kids inside, because if they don’t, they are irresponsible parents. Not to mention good luck selling their homes as fast if the sex offender was not there.
DMC
Thank You for the reference to that article in the Denver Post . Good information. It’s dated September 1 , 2017. What has come of the cases mentioned since then? Also it quoted the 8th amendment to the US constitution which specifically prohibits public shaming. And saying that is exactly what the registry is. What is going on here?
The Colorado case was posted on here as well mentioned and talked about on here a few times after that ruling. Right now judge Matsch’s ruling of that case is on appeal in the 10th circuit and being attacked by a group of Attorney generals from states belonging to that circuit.
Oral arguments on the appeal were heard Nov or Dec. We are waiting for the three judge panel’s decision. Either way it’ll be big news when they publish it.
Yeh but it’s our wonderful government that has already determined that the registry as it is called is Not punishment . Even though public shaming which is basically the same thing and has been used for punishment for a couple thousand years, but all of a sudden it’s not punishment anymore. it’s now just a club membership. Evolution in reverse. Read your history books judges.
It’s about time! We need to politely (but FIRMLY) remind people that we are law-abiding, TAX-PAYING CITIZENS!! (After one’s debt to society is paid, it is paid. Period!)
I hope 2019 is the year we start to push back.
D*** straight its time to push back ….and hold accountable. This open season sniping has got to end. See what this judge said
Check out Denver Post
Colorado sex offender registration act is unconstitutional, federal judge declares
Ruling could set stage for changes nationwide to the way citizen get access to the list
Please include links as available to make retrieving info quicker and easier. We are all busy.
not me, I’m on disability from sever PTSD. I just sit around waiting for this ex post facto challenge to take me off since it was not part of my plea.