Must Watch: Understanding sex offenders: the untold story
This is a MUST WATCH video. Very insightful information by Dr. Lisa Sample, a dynamic criminal justice professor at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and one of the foremost researchers of sex offenders in the nation.
http://www.ketv.com/article/understanding-sex-offenders-the-untold-story/13144523
What a great article. Kudos to the reporter on this well rounded article. Incredibly rare to read this level of journalism.
In so many reports, including the one above, regarding what’s unfair about SO registration, people talk about the shame that offenders must endure – how the public is aware of their crimes and how otherwise prospective friends or mates might want nothing to do with them, etc. However, I fault the public even more than law enforcement or government regarding shaming.
Here’s an incomplete list of what really bugs me about SO registration.
1) I’m restricted from living in a decent apartment anywhere, or a decent house in many places (via ordinances and even deed restrictions). Fortunately, the residents of my crime-ridden neighborhood give me zero grief about my status, as most of them are wary of law enforcement for their own reasons. 2) I’m restricted from going to see a movie or having dinner with friends or family at most locations in Seminole and very many locations in Brevard and Lake counties due to their proximity ordinances. 3) It’s difficult finding work or getting bonded for independent work, even with an advanced in-demand degree, often only because it would just be ‘awkward’ for the company to hire a registered SO. 4) I’m unable to hike the Appalachians (crossing 3 states) over a week-long period or take a long trip outside the state of Florida (to pursue happiness) without concerns of being arrested or facing complicated registration processes and activity restrictions. 5) I might have to cancel trips abroad and lose money due to rejection by border officials when they view my scarlet letter passport (I don’t have one yet) or receive notification from the US that my arrival is imminent. The requirement to provide all anticipated travel, housing locations, flight numbers, etc. to Big Brother is also ridiculous. 6) The county jail is my refuge during a major storm. If, after returning to my home, I find that it’s now uninhabitable, one of my first thoughts during this stressful time must be finding and reporting new housing within the next 48 hours, and affording at least several of those hours for trips to both the sheriff’s office and to the DMV. 7) I must refrain from expressing my opinions about important things online out of fear that the government will read them (and maybe act on them). 8) I must not neglect to register the Internet Identifiers that I use, and I will fear that FDLE databases may become damaged or that an FDLE rep may change the data that I’ve entered, intentionally or accidentally – how do I prove that I supplied the data as required? 9) I have no access to Facebook, even though more and more businesses are requiring that access in order to deal with them. Maybe, one day, the registry will be hosted on Facebook. 10) I’m rudely awakened around 5am about twice a year by local cops requiring me to present my driver’s license. 11) I worry about whether this county or that city bans me from various public places. If I demonstrate or just meet up (with FAC?) somewhere, for whatever cause, I might be arrested after being face-ID’d by law enforcement. 12) I can’t rent a car for more than two days without registering it – another thing that I might have to do during an emergency. 13) I am unable to see my friends’ kids at their school plays or ball games. Thank goodness I have no kids of my own. 14) I face rejection by officials at university admissions or volunteering opportunities and must register them if they happen. 15) I stress a little during each biannual visit to the county sheriff for re-registration.
Of course, there’s also the threat of felony prosecution as a result of any perceived violation of the rules above (and new ones that will likely emerge) during my LIFETIME sentence. It’s also frustrating that courts in other states won’t hear my request for termination from registration requirements, even though the requirements are supposed to be CIVIL and not part of my criminal sentence in Florida.
Many of my friends and acquaintances, especially kid relatives, don’t understand why I’m not on social media with them, why I don’t visit them more often, and why I’m such a hermit. I hide the reason from the kids, but I offer to explain my circumstances thoroughly to the adults. Unfortunately, most don’t seem to hear, or even want to hear, the realities of SO registration. I don’t bitch or moan when I talk to them about it. I just try to inform them, because I HONESTLY believe that government’s treatment of registered citizens today is a foreboding of threats to their own freedoms in the near future.
What really sucks is that I have it GOOD compared to most registered citizens. Sorry for this selfish rant, but it did me some good.
RayO,
I understand everything that you must keep in the forefront of your mind to avoid any trouble. However employment is obtainable if you don’t let anything bum you out. I was told 100 no’s and 1 maybe. Sure enough it was true. As a result of mine and one other rso hard work, our world-wide company has changed their hiring policy and job ads to now include “qualified felons are welcome to apply” and they mean it.
Don’t give into the negative hype.
What is your degree in?
I am in the same boat KC. I was a teacher and a coach at the time I was arrested. I had literally just graduated with my Master’s degree when it happened too. My Bachelor’s was in Math Education and my Master’s was in Educational Leadership and Management. I too am in the same boat. No one wants to “proceed with your application at this time” once they find out your background. So I’m having to work 3 part time jobs barely paying the bills. But I can sympathize with RayO’s thoughts. It was very well put.
KC
What company is that I’ve been looking for a decent job for 7 years now always make it to the background check before they recind their job offers even after explaining my situation in detail to the interviewer. I’m usually told no by some HR person that I never spoke with. Currently I’m trying to support my family on minimum wage.
For real…what company is this??
I get 1000 no’s and MAYBE 1 maybe…..
RayO – I can only tell you what my son did (he amazed me!) – he started to network small businesses. He is a very friendly guy and makes friends easily. Small local businesses can make their own decisions about employees. Try convenience stores that are franchised (many are). He got his first job at one of these and from there another local employer saw what a hard and diligent worker he was and offered him a better job. Also, I am an advocate for being upfront about the situation with prospective employers. Really you do not have to be but I have always thought that if you are upfront then the employers will not feel blind-sided when they get the notification and will not feel like you kept a secret. Telling them allows you to see the initial reaction and you will know from that whether it is a yes or no. I have to tell you that sometimes as a mother it concerns me that he may let his guard down but I have to trust him. Right from the beginning of this whole nightmare he worked on pushing it aside and moving forward with his life (as much as possible).
BRAVO, BRAVO, BRAVO there sir. No need to apologize for your “selfish rant” which really wasn’t selfish at all because it helped me immensely. You so brilliantly put into words the exact nature of what each of us are dealing with. It is the best description I have heard of our situation. I particularly love that last part….. “Unfortunately, most don’t seem to hear, or even want to hear, the realities of SO registration. I don’t bitch or moan when I talk to them about it. I just try to inform them, because I HONESTLY believe that government’s treatment of registered citizens today is a foreboding of threats to their own freedoms in the near future.”
Just as you said, people BETTER start caring and listening, because as you say, today the persecution is on sex offenders, tomorrow, it could now be, Christians, right wing conservatives, gun owners, traditional families, white people, Trump voters, I mean just some examples of groups that seem to be constantly marginalized in the media lately, but you get my point. I have copied and saved your comment so I can read it whenever I need a pick me up. Well said my friend.
I certainly understand what you are saying! I have experienced the same things as you have over the years. The three things that really bother me the most is 1. The difficulty or inability to find employment. 2. Difficulty or inability to find decent housing. 3. The loss of friends, or people you thought were your friends. Only because I made a mistake years ago, not because I did anything to them or ever acted inappropriately. We can only hope that someday these laws will change. Until then we need to keep doing the best we can in spite of the challenges ahead.
RayO
-Dude…i feel your pain in every way…good analysis of the facts! I applaud you!…I left the Main Land 28 days after my incarceration (due to a technical violation that the nasty PO made up-LIED to the COURT),,I now live in a US Territory and allowed to live as everyone else here,,,no Stigma…oh, and by the way, I register yearly here,,,and this past year, the Justice Official was on maternity leave so I was 9 weeks late registering…”No Problem Mon’…I can go to the movie theater, go to any beach ..I park my car at the local high school…visit my friends at the local high school who are teachers…interact with my friends kids–take them out for Frios Crios….it is all good here…get out of there Dude,,,Florida is a complete Sham…will take $100 million to change their nasty ways!..Bon Chance!
GETOUTOFDODGE
What state or territory is this I gotta get outta here at least until sanity takes over the land. I will start planning immediately
GetOutOfDodge where are you located? My son got busted just because he had child porn on his computer. He was on a P2P sharing site and was downloading what was adult hot young chics but there was some child porn in the file. We live in FL and now he lives in my Jeep on the side of the road
MOMJUSTWANTS2PROTECTHERSON : i must say i am disappointed in your marginalizing the possession of child porn “just because he had child porn on his computer”.
we all had excuses as to how or why we ended up on the registry(I still do not like or agree with the registry ), but you, like your son, must accept that possession or view of child porn wrong.
I understand your mother’s instinct to believe in and protect your child, and yes this can happen by accident, but most times it is not.
this again just goes to prove NOTHING good comes from using a P2P service, especially if you have a addiction to porn. anyone who uses these for porn is just asking for trouble.
I spent most of my childhood being molested. People that enjoy child porn do not have just 8 pictures of CP on their computer to which 2 were viewed and the other 6 were never opened and put in the recycle bin. People that are sick in the head or evil or whatever you want to call them will have hundreds/thousands of file on their computer, cell phones or wherever.You damn right I am defending my son.
I got in trouble for having the account used to send not posession nor viewing as the person owned up to it. I should have been more diligent but it was 1996 who knew anything. I was ok until i got to florida. To this day ive never viewd nor wanted to yet here i am with a tag on me that doesnt tell the entire story.
Jm that is terrible what happened to you. There are people out there that do things to children that should be punished but people like you and my son do not deserve the treatment that FL DISHES OUT. FL is the worst state to be in. My son is living in my vehicle on the side of the road. He works every day and sees me a few hours every night. He helps take care of me as I have brain and ovarian cancer. People out there need to understand every thing is not black in white in this world. Much of this is a money scam for the states.
Momjustwants2protectherson – I also am a champion for my son. However, regardless of how the CP got there the law does not care. In FL, your son, mine, and every other RSO is no different than the other. I understand where you are coming from, believe me I do, but I also know that when you discard the unjust feelings about his charges and change to outrage at the punishment we can accomplish more. It is hard, I know, but regardless of the crime or circumstances, the punishment is unusual, unconstitutional, and cruel. Knowledge is the key. Going down the road that separates your son from “real” sex offenders only isolates you and your son from those can help and creates more pain. IMO.
I agree but I don’t know how to fight the punishment given to my son yet alone others who are going through this. I feel like our elected officials won’t or don’t have the balls to change the laws or punishment that FL hands down to RSO.
Karen..
i wish i could have expressed this in well as you did.
we all ended up here for one reason or another, we are not all monsters, or sick in the head, overall, the overwhelming majority are not. Most are people who made a very bad 1 time mistake.
it is wonderful to see families who care enough to fight for their loved ones, there are SO many rso’s that have been abandoned by family and friends.
I just wish I knew how to make a difference. From the beginning of my son’s arrest I have spoke out about the harsh punishment handed down and the whole justice system. I ave to work out of state for my job. I have tried to inform and educate people about the system and just how cruel and heartless the system is. I just wish I could be a part of changing how the criminal system handles their judgement and punishment.
You can. Become involved in FAC!
HOW?
Reach out to Membership; anita@floridaactioncommittee.org and let Anita know you would like to volunteer.
We have a TON of needs.
WOw good one! I got tears in my eyes when they talked about who RSOs are afraid of is “them” – those on the outside that consider them monsters….very profound.
This is real journalism I wish the folks @ scare t.v. (WFTV 9) were interested in real journalism.
I think these are worth a watch by everyone, regardless of which side of the aisle you sit on:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9puSV26D5Sc
https://topdocumentaryfilms.com/the-franklin-cover-up/
This blew my mind that a corporate news station would run this.
I could help but blubber my praise and gratitude to the head guy at that station. AMAZING