The Dobbs Wire: Denver Post deep dive — parents with that scarlet letter
The Denver Post takes a deep dive into Colorado’s draconian sex offense laws and policies. For those who already paid the price for wrongdoing–the punishment never stopped! Then, in 2014, a federal appeals court ruling shook things up. Christopher Osher’s story looks at the impact of that court decision, telling the stories of parents who are on the registry along with perspectives from treatment providers and prosecutors. Kudos to all those who have been part of this long fight, and to the Denver Post for an important, detailed report. –Bill Dobbs, The Dobbs Wire
Print edition placement: this article is huge on the Sunday front page and headlined, over a large photo of a teeter-totter, “Balancing safety, offenders’ rights – State policy has long prohibited sex offenders on probation or parole from having contact with children—even their own—with few exceptions. Those rules are being relaxed in reforms that are criticized by prosecutors as putting children at risk but hailed by defense attorneys as overdue.”
Denver Post | March 5, 2017
Sex offenders see stringent parenting rules relaxed in Colorado, prompting debate over child safety
Appeals court ruling rejected Colorado’s approach to treatment
By Christopher N. Osher
Excerpts: Colorado’s sex offenders have long maintained the state treats them as pariahs, closely monitoring where they live, what they look at, who they talk to and what they discuss. One claimed in federal court filings that he was warned against keeping a crucifix because it displayed partial nudity. Another, convicted of groping a woman, said he had to write down his thoughts every time he saw a school bus.
The idea was to protect children, but the resulting system that cut off offenders from their own families has now been struck down in federal court. That leaves Colorado to create a new sex-offender treatment and management system that defense lawyers say is long overdue but prosecutors worry will put children at risk.
The system used to start with the premise that offenders should be barred from seeing their children even when they had not been victimized, until offenders prove they’re safe. Probation and parole officials almost always barred contact. The new system presumes sex offenders should parent their children unless a judge or parole board find compelling evidence the children are in danger. CONTINUED:
http://www.denverpost.com/2017/03/05/sex-offenders-colorado-rules-children/
U.S. vs. Burns
U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, Case No. 13-5045
Opinion field Dec. 30, 2014