Aging offenders need to be considered
Every morning I scan the news for headlines containing certain keywords, so I can report any relevant updates to our membership. Among the results today, I find the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office’s publication of a sexual predator moving into Boynton Beach, as published in a local newspaper’s website. To avoid bringing further unwanted attention to the individual, I won’t link to the story, but when I check the flyer I see that the man is 98 years old and the “new address” is a nursing home. His offense pre-dates the existence of the registry.
I question the utility of making this announcement. The guy is 98 years old and in a nursing facility. I can see possibly notifying the facility, but why publish it online for the world to see? Even if he ever was, he is no danger to anyone now. The only thing that can come of it, possibly, is the attention will cause issues for the nursing home and he’ll get kicked out with nowhere to go; a problem facing many aging registrants.
Separately, I got an email this morning from a caregiver of another elderly person on the registry. The man is physically handicapped and wheelchair bound because of a stroke. He needs assistance to move and is sometimes lucid and sometimes incoherent. The burden of remembering his quarterly registration obligations has fallen on the caregiver, the hardship of physically getting him to the sheriff’s office has fallen on the caregiver, and now that Clay county is charging $25 an update, the cost of registration has fallen on the caregiver. She asked if anything can be done.
Sadly, there is nothing that can be done. When Florida made their registry lifetime they made no accommodations in the statute for elderly, physically or mentally ill registrants. They impose the same requirements and obligations on all people. Registrants, as with all people, age. They face limitations and challenges. Often the burden of registration is put on their caregiver, or sometimes the registrant is a caregiver for their spouse and because of residency restrictions, they can’t move to a retirement home to take care of the loved one. In either case, it’s the caregiver that’s punished, not the registrant.
We need to call on the legislators to introduce a bill that will offer relief in these situations.
It’s pretty pathetic when the PBSO feels the need to shame a 98 year old man. They say it’s not shaming or punishment, but to protect the public. So, who are they protecting from this 98 year old human being? What citizen is safer today because of that public notification? Who specifically among the public was in so much danger from this man that they needed the sheriff’s to publish this publicly?
If the authorities want us to start believing them, maybe they should stop talking out both sides of their mouths.
This is one of many indicators that Megan’s Law is about monetizing misery, exacting revenge and making everyone with a prior sex crime register until the day they day.
Those so-called “alerts” they send out via cell-phone and email just stirs up undue hysteria and fear, but that’s exactly the desired effect the authorities want – to take false credit for promoting safety.
When someone like this 98=year-old represents a zero threat, the entire registration scheme becomes punitive and vindictive.
Again, the registry is all about systematic and orchestrated hatred, not promoting public safety.
serious health issues are definitely a problem with registry restrictions – first ran into a problem with emergency sheltering provisions in the event of hurricanes and need for evacuation. Only shelter for registrants is the jail in marion county – person on special diet due to congestive heart failure and diabetes in addition to taking several medications – told bring all meds. with him, all own food with him. there are few low salt foods on the market – coming up with healthy low sugar/low salt foods is a challenge that requires using cooked dried beans for chili, etc. etc. even tuna fish has to be rinsed thoroughly prior to mixing it with other ingredients. most bread high in salt content. its good i am good. As far as the medications go- biggest problem is the time release insulin which, due to restrictions of the insurance company can only be refilled so many days prior to end of previous refill. other meds all prescribed varying dates – enough to drive anyone up a tree keeping up with the need for refills and calling of Dr. to authorizee refill when at end of number of refills prescribed. lack of vehicle for transportation – cost $40 roundtrip last trip by cab. man can barely walk having had surgery on legs for blockage and other orthopedic problems and next to last time he registered, because after he left by cab i called to make sure they were open because it seems everytime something changes here you might received a notice in the mail but mail is slow. They were notified i junked my car, plates were turned in but husband met with ‘wheres your wife – out in the car/’ and when told took a cab it was you could have taken a bus – cant walk to the bus stop and couldnt walk from where bus goes to where office to register is. lot of blood pressure meds being taken as prescribed – put the man to sleep. Incident happened years ago – uestionable regarding charges – but man’s feelings thats new york – they are corrupt and why would a man charged with grooming be at the same tier level as a man accused of violent rape – nothing makes sense. But then the bus transportaiton system here doesn’t make sense either.
So sad that common sense does not prevail in our law makers. Anyone that can not see that the Sex Offender Registry is undo punishment, has no common sense. This situation with the 98 year old is a good example of why we must win the lawsuit on behalf of those not on the registry. And work hard at finding legislators that have the guts to introduce bills to help the aging registrants get off the registry. We have laws that are kinder to animals then humans. Maybe we need a law that says after a certain age, an elderly registrant can be considered “endangered species” so all laws protect them and not punish them. If this idea sounds silly, I say it is no sillier then a “lifetime” Sex Offender Registry”
Putting an elderly man through this until his death is the very definition of cruel and unusual PUNISHMENT – PERIOD!
The registry is clearly not going away so the very least that can be done is have an avenue to remove people from it. It should not be lifetime for anyone without periodic review and a way to be legally removed.
This man’s situation illustrates this quite clearly so even Lauren Book might get it. What possible good can come from this mental torture? Clearly not child safety.
She asked if anything can be done
There are attorneys out there who will work with people under financial hardships. There’s also… don’t think this isn’t possible; “Go Fund Me”. From what I understand, Go Fund Me doesn’t and cannot prove whatever reason you’re asking for funding. She could easily post that she needs medical help for an aging relative. Go Fund Me doesn’t look into anything. I’ve seen Go Fund Me posts for college students wanting to travel and trying to raise money for that.
So to anyone trying to come up with ways to get money for an attorney, it doesn’t hurt to TRY Go Fund Me.
And you don’t have to give any of the money back. Once you reach your goal – you disappear. Simple.
P.S. It’s registrants like this that should be part of a documentary. I’m seriously considering making one.
Gotta wonder how quickly this law would change if there was a huge influx of 90+ disabled folks on the registry all being incarcerated because they simply didn’t register. The burden would be pretty great on the community jail/prison housing them.
As cruel as it sounds for the individual – much like the comment about monetizing misery… what if the person they are supposed to make money off of no longer can pay?
Announcing the address change on the 98 year old is simply the LEO touting their horn to prove they are doing their job to protect (and supposedly serve)…
I wouldn’t register accept on reasonable accommodations as a seriously handicapped individual. Let the state house me and care for me.
My question is this: If you cannot afford to pay for registration, can they turn you away unregistered?
I had always thought (only because it makes sense) that they would still register you but maybe put some kind of lien system kinda like court fees. It makes absolutely no sense to me that they would refuse to register you when that forces you into “committing” a crime.
Also, I was told that one of the reasons the registry was able to be applied retroactively was because it didn’t make your sentence any more onerous (yeah, right). By charging to register, that obviously adds a burden.
So, would they still have ro register you with no money, or not?
Yes – if they refuse to register you, call FDLE
“We need to call on the legislators to introduce a bill that will offer relief in these situations.”
Introduce and pass a bill to abolish the registry. Problem solved.
Here’s the bill: CS/SB 574 Aging Inmate Conditional Release
Specifically excludes persons required to register as “sex offenders” and murderers.
http://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2020/574/BillText/c1/PDF