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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All registries relate to the same facts in away for some!. After i did my time and paid my dues and was ready to get on with my life and possibly get married also graduating s.o. thearapy. The registry has put me back in the criminal system just as if i was never released to live happy and free. My girlfriend decided not to stay with me because she wanted me to travel to see other places and she worried about getting hurt by vigilante’s. She decided to move on. I have had problems finding a girlfriend because of the same reasons. So it is like being confined after time served. One step of progress i needed to complete was to get and keep a meaningful relationship. I had done that i thought the registry is punishment beyond belief….
You know, ALL of these laws directed at people convicted of a sex offense are geared at preventing what they MAY do.
I’ve just recently been made aware that there are now places where i cannot work or volunteer. I used to be on the church vestry years ago. That is now illegal. How can they retro- actively take away my freedom of where i can work? I BELIEVE this is why the federal district’s are now deciding that state SORNA laws are now unconstitutional. Shouldn’t that naturally apply to civil commitment as well? I always felt that those who plead to a charge for a lesser sentence (pre Jimmy Ryce) and then when the prison term portion of the plea ended, they were snatched up into civil commitment, should’ve been able to go back and either go to trial or negotiate a new deal that specifically prevents civil commitment.
Hell, by changing our consequences AFTER we negotiated a plea deal (entered into a contract) with the state, it should be determined that the state has acted in “Bad Faith” on multitudinous occasions (do i get extra credit for using the word “multitudinous” in a sentence? ) and that should be held against the state/ prosecution in every judicial endeavor they undertake from now until they stop acting so.
I know.. pipe dreams.
… maybe it should have been, “on a multitude of occasions. ” that’s what came out my fingers as i typed. 🙂
Jim
I totally agree with you. If the judge would have told me that in addition to her outrageous sentence imposed on me, I would further, for life, be on a Nazi registry that anyone can access, I would have told her where the she could put her sentence. (Can’t type where in this forum without getting kicked out).
I remember stories of leper colonies somewhere. I am starting, NO I was already feeling, like we are part of a leper colony. The Scarlet letter is on the internet, on our drivers licenses, on passports, on Nextdoor app/website and more.
Even though I completed my sentence way back in 2003, it feels as though I have been on probation this entire time. This is 1000% punishment. We Cannot do things non registrants can. That includes things murders can do but we cannot.
Many of us were sentence years before the registry even existed.
Hmmmmm, I’m no longer able to serve on my church vestry (my charge was from 1995, i served on the vestry in the 2000’s). I just now realize this could be religious persecution or at least denying me my right to exercise my religious beliefs.
Again, my charge is from 19+ years before this law was passed to restrict my religious freedoms. I wonder if the ACLU or someone has considered THIS angle. Thoughts?
Jim
When even the Church turns their back on us, we know we are in deep doo doo. The saying “What would Jesus do?” comes to mind.
Jesus did not hang out with Kings, rulers and Governors, rather, He surrounded Himself with thieves, Prostitutes, Murderers, Liars and backstabbers. He was looking for the lost, the broken and the wanderers.
I think a lot of church leaders would rather you get mad and lose one family from their church than a bunch of people leave because a registered person is in the church.
I use to volunteer at a Christian radio station. I did so for 3 years until someone found me on the registry and I was asked to never return. I gave 3 years of my time there with no incidences.
Funny though, they kept sending me donation request letters once a month. I have to call and asked to be removed from their mailing list. It was a slap in the face. They didn’t want me but didn’t mind asking me for money.
Im saying im not legally able to serve anymore. It’s the law that changed, not my church. The law is preventing me from exercising my religious freedoms. That’s my stance.
Yep. The Hit Lists are 100% unacceptable. So I’m going to continue to ensure they are worthless and a lot worse. I will continue to do anything I am legally able to do that causes harm, chaos, and destruction. As long as Hit Lists exist, there will be war on the Registry Supporters/Terrorists.
I would be shocked if this becomes law.
NOW, if we could just getting a couple of law makers, senators, congress people or anyone, to deem the registry being “Twice punished”.
They are calling it “Civil commitment”, but there is NOTHING civil about it.
Having said that, at least this is a step in the right direction.
Cherokee their I’m sorry to sorry to say nothing “civil” when it comes to the label of as they say “sex offender” its the principal and principality we have to seek. Even Paul in the bible was a chief sinner but he was given a vision to preach to the gentiles.
My uncle before he passed away lived in Pompano area and yes him and a friend stole something in the in the 30’s I believe it was a car or something like that or something like that.
My grandmother keep writing the Governor in WV. and finely they were both sent to WAR. One of them got killed in Combat but my uncle was pardoned way back than and got marred, course he had a bit of a drinking problem at the time.
Anyway things are a bit different today with this sex offense or are they. Theirs hope for all.
I agree on this and my prayer is we can get this done in Texas, my brother is caught up in this total farce and I want him released Asap.
The thing is with these places are that it should be for all offenses, and not just sex offenders. All crimes should have such a place, than we’ll see just how well that works for the States and government.