Why is the Registry Punishment?
I can’t believe that we are still having to answer this common sense question. Isn’t it obvious?
Apparently to the judges of the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, who recently overturned a lower court’s decision that the registry was cruel and unusual punishment, it’s not so clear. Neither was it clear to the judge in the Southern District of Florida who felt that forcing people into homelessness due to Miami-Dade county’s harsh residency restrictions isn’t punishment either. Incredible given that two of the original defendants on that case had died homeless on the streets of Miami by the time the Court heard the case. How is this possible?
Well what is common sense to us isn’t necessarily common sense to a judge. We must remember that judges, like all of us, live in their own world, socialize with their own friends and exist in their own preconceived notions about society, crime and the law. In other words, they have no clue what’s it like to live one day in our shoes. If, just for a week, one judge could have his name, photo and information listed on the Florida Sex Offender Registry, make him go out and find a job, a place to live while raising two kids or try to find a partner to spend life with, then have him come back and make the decision as to whether or not the registry is punishment. Wouldn’t that be glorious?
Residency restrictions, going to our kid’s schools, having a shot at keeping a job, finding a place to live, going to church, all of these things can continue to be denied us because our presence on the registry isn’t punishment. This is hogwash. You know it but the Court’s don’t see it because apparently we have yet to make our case crystal clear.
In an effort to do that we want to compile a list describing in detail the punitive effects on a registrant, their family, friends, employers and others in their lives, experienced living a lawful everyday life. Please include your experience in the comments below. Be specific and we will compile your comments for a “master list” of the punitive effects of the registry. Also remember that this is specific to our presence on the registry, not the criminal conviction itself nor any hardships as a result of probation requirements. PLEASE only list events that happened to you, not commentary.
Judges don’t know what they don’t know, so we have to tell them. We look forward to your comments.
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1 i first moved to fl i stayed with my inlaws and the police showed up at there apt,neighbors saw cops with sexofender shirts and started with my inlaws i moved out.
2 second place i was able to sty for a short time then my neighbors found out and ran me out of the neighborhood move again.
3 bought a house in palm beach cty and had no problems till a neighbor saw the detectives here,a kid went missing a mile away from my house and the came looking at me,scared the crap out of my daughter(6 at that time).
3 neighbors started messing with me rocks through windows spray painted crap on my house .
Everything was fine after that “UNTIL” the nextdoor app came out, now the new neighbors are giving me Hell. With Halloween coming up, I have been getting a lot more dirty looks as people drive or walk by my house. The dog doo has been piling up in my yard and I DONT have a dog.
I was arrested 10 years ago, ive been out for 8. 7 of those years I was not legally allowed to live in my house nor any house in the city. Oct 2019 I was finally able to sell my house and move so me and my wife could live together without fear of someone turning me in for being at my own house that ive owned for 20 plus years. I finally can take a deep breath of relief but still feel the fear of day to day activities.
In ADDITION to all of the above… my fiancé is currently in a foreign country working on a PhD. I go to visit (it’s one of the countries, luckily, that doesn’t ban SO’s outright) as often as possible. The last trip, I had just checked in to the hotel where we were staying (she lives in student housing) and there’s a knock on the door. Three local vice squad officers “investigating” because my passport is flagged, and my local PD sent that country my itinerary. My fiancé was accused of being a prostitute, I was detained in the hotel office. Luckily her student ID, passport, and the fact that she’s been dating me for over two years and knew about my case swayed them, and they left. The hotel didn’t even kick us out – but we got “looks” every time we passed through the lobby. I’m hesitant to go BACK, not knowing if I’ll be turned away at passport control, or if more vice officers will visit…
We booked a two-week stay at Value Place. After four days, I was notified that we would have to move out the next day because I was on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry. No refund was provided.
After spending nine months planning with our builder and moving into our new home. I changed my address according to my new address to satisfy the SOR requirements. I was approached by our builder as he was concerned that I was on the SOR and his daughter had put money down on a neighboring lot. He was not sure if his daughter would want to live next to a sex offender. He also mentioned he didn’t know if he would have built us a house if he had known I was on the registry.
After settled in, the word was out that the community that a sex offender was living among them. We were approached by the property developer, the President of the association, my builder, and the builder’s son in law. We were told they wanted us to move out of the house. The developer would pay us the price for the house. If we don’t move out they were going to get the sheriff to get us to move. We had to hire an attorney to help us stay in our house.
To get better acquainted with the neighborhood I thought it would be a good idea to join a community group on the internet. This would keep us updated on new neighbors, crime in the area, yard sales, and community picnics. I submitted an application to join nextdoor.com and was refused membership because I am on the sex offender registry.
We planned a two-week vacation to Costa Rica. Upon arrival, immigration refused me from entering the county because I was on the Sex Offender Registry. The government booked us on the next flight returning to the states.
1) Had State Police stalk teenage daughter’s bedroom while they were changing – When we filed complaints and went to the committees they didn’t even have the decency to try and lie. Outright admitted they stalked a private residence and watched underage teenage girls change and get undressed (Barb is very familiar with the case and can verify) . The one-paragraph reply was to the effect that it was perfectly legal and justified because the father was on the registry.
2) Schools and teachers abuse children by publicly announcing parents that are on the registry opening children up to harassment by other students. Also, they treat students of registrants as pariahs and different. Very well documented (again Barb has records)
3) Children of parents on the registry are often not allowed to play with other kids, not allowed to their homes, not allowed to participate in Church activities and they are forced to endure the shame, whispers, and stares their parents endure if they attempt to go to church.
4)Children of parents on the registry are forced into poverty, starvation, and low income because the parent continually struggles to stay employed. As soon as they get a raise, promotion, or someone gets jealous the busted magazines or word of mouth gets spread and another job is lost.
5) children of parents on the registry have reduced medical standards and reduced medical health because of this. How can a parent afford braces or medicines when they can’t afford food since they are not permitted to have a job.
6) children of parents on the registry have reduced housing. The only places they are allowed to live if they can find any or a way to afford them are in poverty-stricken high crime neighborhoods that endanger the child’s life every day.
7) children of parents on the registry have a higher chance of suicide and attempted suicide because of the stress, trauma, and bullying they face. Many reports liken it to the same traumas as a returning soldier from combat zones..
Do I need to continue? The list of the second class standard of living standards that are forced upon the children of the “registrant cast” of second class society are virtually unlimited and unprecedented to any other categorization or segment of society. It could easily be considered as modern-day slavery, except worse… There is a reason it has been likened to the holocaust and Chinas Whyger genocides.
It is not that the judges dont know..They know very well. It is that they dont care and in many cases enjoy the power and attention it gives them.
All opportunities even with 2 MA degrees and 20 years of experience, gets me a job that barely pays minimum wage.
Residential restrictions are horrific. There are no places in to live in the most Southern counties of Florida, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe. This causes mass homelessness!
It restricts mobility. The Passport is marked with an embarrassing identifier, most countries will not even let you in to their country.
Constant harassment by the local Law Enforcement community. Showing up at the home unannounced to do residential checks and neighbors see the presence of Law Enforcement at your home continually.
life will never even be close to before your name enters the SOR, it’s a constant reminder of a past mistake and does not allow one to more forward with his / her life.
I have to take days off of work and spend my precious time and money because the state is forcing me to do things after my sentence has been fully satisfied. I understand I am not being specific.
I had to take a day off work and waste a vacation day 4 times a year to go register. Lunch hour was not enough time. Sometimes I wait up to two hours to be seen depending on how many people are in line.