Virginia bill would end civil commitment of sex offenders
Two Virginia Democratic lawmakers are spearheading a push to repeal a decades-old law that allows the state to hold certain sex offenders at psychiatric facilities indefinitely after their criminal sentences if they are deemed “sexually violent predators.”
Critics say civil commitment laws are fundamentally unfair and violate the constitutional prohibition against punishing someone twice for the same crime. Supporters counter that the laws protect society from repeat offenders who are unable to control their behavior.
“It is as archaic and as Neanderthal a process as I can imagine,” said Morrissey, a defense attorney and lead patron of the bill that would repeal 1999’s Civil Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators Act.
“We don’t sentence people because of what they might do,” he said. “That’s abhorrent to everything that our democracy and our criminal justice system believes in.”
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Died in committee, according Meaghan Ybos, a survivor who testified in favor of repeal.
And it’s too bad, because this governor prolly would’ve signed.
There’s always next session.
Thing of it is who you gonna believe a blue coat or a red coat. Well this lady thats in a nursing home now & she is part indian from back in my hometown that I met here. She told me American’s stole the land from the indians. Sure reliegons are different and so are churches but their is only one supreme coat.
Sure I’ve been to Appotomattox battlefield a few times. I’m always getting updates on the VA. gun laws or something happening in VA. One just hopes this VA. law stipulation is approved and might lead to something with these sex offenes to other states wanting to lighten up on these stipulations whether going to church without a chaperonel or running for mayor..
There ya go Will Allen and to believe I’ve worked out in several Natl. Parks.
Was even offered a summer job at Everglades Natl. Park but turned that down. Its bad enough with Government Croc’s in much of this registry ordeal. This registry ordeal is a type of devious type bias rush to judgment battlefield stigma for many.
Come to think about it your right about federal ordeals. When I lived in Huntington, WV a tri-state area. One would always go to Ohio and get more percentage beer, guess that would be considered interstate if caught for something but that was beer.
The pink slip I picked up today was for my quarterly finger prints and even with my weak offense I am a tier III as are many here in VA . Sure laws are not as different in each state I just hope something comes out of all this for many states.
I’m sure its bad on the college student and many in FL and yes a lot of this registry needs to go.
Yes this is good and you guys also might get this introduced to your area. I got a pink slip about coming down to the post office and picking up a registered letter. Maybe its something about all this you guys are talking about Got to think positive about all this as this registry can be a creepy crawler as this whole registry is.
Who knows with the Old president leaving tomorrow he just might pardon many of us. We can all hope, but I believe this is a good thing for those in Virginia just hope other states take note.
Saddles
Unless you have a FEDERAL crime, the President cannot pardon you. The Governor of your state where the crime happened would have to. That is Unlikely to happen.
CherokeeJack, The President nor the Governor will not ever pardon a sex offender, if they even hint on doing that life as they know it is over.
RIFF RAFF I would have to agree somewhat on that although they pardon one’s to go to War in many cases or maybe a person with some label as sex offender is just out of luck and his or name is pushed aside.
That would be a bit wishy-washy wouldn’t it, and wouldn’t that even clash with unalienable rights. I at lest in the past have tried to write 2 letters a year to ask for a pardon and if not for me for others. Everyone is in different circumstances. So one completed a treatment class which is mandatory in most of these ordeals. Even good merits deserve something even in war in many’ views.
If one could go thru this ordeal whether getting court justice or other means its how one can help their fellow man. Isn’t that what war is all about. And yes we are all in this sex/ true Justice war of responsibility so two wrongs don’t make a right in many ways even with some understanding.
RIFF RAFF…You ARE CORRECT!
IT WILL NEVER EVER EVER EVER HAPPEN!
Here in Georgia, even a pardon from the governor doesn’t relieve the obligation to register. I bet a lot of other states have the same law. Point being that it wouldn’t matter even if a pardon WAS granted.
Dustin
Good luck getting a pardon in the first place on a sex offense. Never heard of one instance of that, other than maybe someone who had a victim come forward and say they lied. AND that we know, is 1 in a million chance.