Utah state senator’s bill would amend restrictions for registrants
A Utah state senator has sponsored a bill that would allow registrants to go to places like schools and parks, if they are with an adult, and would replace the term “sex offender” with “registrant”.
University of Utah law professor Paul Cassell says replacing the term “sex offender” with “registrant” would be misleading to the public, since some people might not know what “registrant” means.
Cassell also said that the registry has been around for decades and feels it is working fine.
Paul Cassell pioneered restitution claims in Fed child porn possession cases, did he not?
What exactly does that statement mean? I’m curious to know.
Another professor promoting forever victimization instead of healing for all. He’s a former judge so you can’t tell me he isn’t biased against registrants.
Paul Cassell needs to go back to classes and finish his education. He obviously didn’t stay awake in class the first time threw.
Goes to show you that a university degree does not necessarily make you smarter (and I have one so am not being biased here) . Here is his contact info : https://faculty.utah.edu/u0031056-PAUL_G._CASSELL/hm/index.hml
I feel this should be a call to action. His bio says, ” He is a co-author of the nation’s only law school textbook on crime victims’ rights, Victims in Criminal Procedure”. To me this is telling regards his biases regards the registry and his uniformed comment that it is working just fine.
I plan to send him information so he can be better educated, and hope others do too. And who is the Senator? Maybe we should send him thank yous for sponsoring good law.
G
The Senator is Mike Kennedy and I hope he doesn’t cave into public opinion. Registrant is better than SO, at least it doesn’t imply we are still committing sex offenses.
Paul Cassell knows everything that we know. He just has a different angle on it.
Professor if parents didn’t run to lawmakers to do something when something bad happens there wouldn’t be a registry. Why is there only a registry for sex crimes? Why is sex and anything sexual icky? As a law professor and a former judge shame on you for tilting the scales of Justice. If your beloved registry works so well how many people on the registry commit new sex crimes. I’ll give you a hint it’s how much creditably you have… zero!!
Registrant is a whole lot better than sex offender. We ARE still registered so a true statement. However, unless you are still offending, sex offender is incorrect and offensive and stereotyping.
And finally someone who is actually doing something about our situation and not someone who is trying to make something worse.
Cheers to this senator. Let us see what kind of push back they get.
With regard to the change from sex offender to registrant being a problem because some people won’t know what “registrant” means– a lot of people don’t understand that “sex offender” doesn’t equate to a dangerous individual. There are many situations that may have caused that label to be assigned, some benign and harmless, some from long ago where punishments have been fully served, some false accusations, etc. It is way too broad a brush to paint all those on the registry. And, as for the registry working “fine”, he should really do a little research into the effects of the registry on the registrants, their families, their jobs, their relationships- you name it!
Paul
Your comment made me think of something. People listed as sex offenders can be someone who raped 20 people over their lifetime or someone who just looked at porn on their computer.
So some lady looks at the registry and sees the guy is listed as a sex offender but she doesn’t really know the extent of his charges.
So with that information, what is the guy going to do, break into her house and make love to her computer screen?
CherokeeJack
Is making love to a computer screen a misdemeanor or felony? Well I did kiss my phone while I was on FaceTime with my girlfriend last night. Oh shoot I better register I engaged in intimacy last night with a woman.
The article says that comments are closed, but don’t bother writing the newstip email. I did and it bounced, so I’ll comment here:
The article doesn’t seem balanced and would be arguably factually in error. There seems to be no effort to get another point of view on the proposed legislation, either from the senator, or other groups that might support it. I am also skeptical of the characterization of law professor Paul Cassel being a leading researcher on criminal and civil justice issues, at least when it comes to sexual crime and recidivism. There are numerous other authoritative voices out there that would strongly disagree with Mr. Cassell’s assertion that the current registry is working fine as is. Perhaps a follow up more substantive article would be appropriate.
The fact that media outlets (notice I did not call them a news organization) feel content writing complete journalistic garbage shocks the conscience. There are high school journalism students that can write better articles. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mr. Cassell was the one that reached out to them with a pre-written piece. This should be under the Opinions section, not many facts here to read.
It reminds me of Senator Book a paid Florida Senator doesn’t have the guts to have a civil debate with those whom have a different opinion. I’m tired of this kind of representation and wish people would push back. Representatives who can’t can’t engage in a civil conversation with those they disagree shouldn’t be in politics.
James
I notice that in all stories. I will see one on the space program and comments are open to all. Then something that is controversial like about a high ranking official being arrested, and the exact same poster as the last article will not allow comments.
This was explained very well in the movie A few good men. The statement was “You can’t handle the truth”. (I am using it towards the sensitive boys and girls from the media staff who live in their Mother’s basements still)