Michigan poised to double down on failed sex offender registry

In early 2012, more than eight years ago, five people challenged Michigan’s Sex Offenders Registration Act (SORA) in court, arguing that the registry branded them as dangerous “sex offenders” without any individual review.

[They] won their case in 2016, when the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that SORA is unconstitutional. The court not only found that Michigan treats registrants as “moral lepers,” but it also concluded, based on a mountain of evidence, that registries don’t make people or communities safer.

Four years and another lawsuit later, the House has now passed a bill to revise SORA. But that bill ignores the judicial rulings, rejects the science, and would put John and Paul right back on the public registry.

It is the same thing all over again.

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10 thoughts on “Michigan poised to double down on failed sex offender registry

  • December 10, 2020 at 3:02 pm
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    It’s always gonna be the same thing till the Supreme Nit Wit’s rule differently,,,,,,,

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  • December 10, 2020 at 10:51 pm
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    The Detroit Free Press is a worthless fearmongering rag. The Michigan legislature may eventually pass some type of legislation but they can’t undo the various court decisions. Their best bet is to forget about anyone whose offense date predates July 1, 2011. Even if they limit any future legislation to persons whose offense date was on or after July 1, 2011, there simply will be a new round of lawsuits. Their best bet is to just let the registry die a natural death.

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  • December 11, 2020 at 12:00 am
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    Do you think politicians care about taxpayer money in defending this yet again? They sub contract the legal work to their friends and law partners for huge hourly charges and they in turn, get something in return. wether it be a job for their son-in-law or something else of untraceable value. Been there, Done that, got caught.

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  • December 11, 2020 at 12:14 am
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    I am on the registry in Michigan. Even if this was a good revision of the law, which it is not, the Michigan Senate would add back the old stuff that made the original law unconstitutional. The Federal Judge would be doing the Michigan legislators a big favor by simply ruling once and for all that Michigan’s sex offender registry law is abolished forever. The politicians simply don’t want to vote for anything that would make them look softer on crime than their predecessors.

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  • December 11, 2020 at 10:54 am
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    Gerald:
    You should see if you are eligible for removal from the registry with a 406 petition today.

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  • December 14, 2020 at 10:00 am
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    As comedian Ron White said, “You can’t fix STUPID”.

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  • December 14, 2020 at 11:57 am
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    FAC:
    Thank you for posing the ACLU links. The statement of facts is 269 pages but very worthwhile for everyone to read. This isn’t just “a mountain of evidence” but the tip of the iceberg. The ACLU could have easily made this a 269,000 page statement of the facts. The evidence is consistent and overwhelming. The registry is useless, a violation of registrant’s rights and a total waste of taxpayer funds.
    Anyone interested in getting off of the registry should read these links.

    Reply

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