Weekly Update 2018-08-21

Dear Members and Advocates:

There are two topics you learn not to discuss in mixed company; religion and politics. Everyone has their own opinion on both and you never know who you might offend by presenting a point of view in either. The topic of this week’s update is religion and politics.

FAC is not affiliated with any religious or political group. We support the religious beliefs (or non-beliefs) of all, including the right to observe one’s personal religious views as provided for in the Constitution. On the topic of religion; Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, last week, released a grand jury report which said that internal documents from six Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania show that more than 300 “predator priests” have been credibly accused of sexually abusing more than 1,000 child victims. There were cover-ups going back decades.

No matter what your belief; this is a tragedy beyond comprehension. Certainly a tragedy for the victims, but also the innocent members of Catholic communities who will now be saddled with a public relations nightmare and a stigma deserving of just a very small percentage of its religion. The same holds true for teachers; we are constantly seeing news reports about teachers sexually abusing students. In past features we’ve done on the topic, the number of sex offenses taking place in school at the hands of teachers, coaches and administrators is shocking. But, it’s still just a small percentage of the overall teacher population, the large majority of which are horrified by what their colleagues have done.

People required to register as sex offenders are prevented from going near places like churches and schools, but ironically sexual abuse is still prevalent in these places, only it takes place at the hands of congregation leaders and teachers. The public is very misguided in thinking that “sex offenders” are strangers or that sex offending is taking place in public with children being snatched off the streets and out of playgrounds. That’s not what’s happening!

Studies have shown the effectiveness of faith-based re-entry programs and religious congregations have long been the social center of many communities, yet we keep perfectly well meaning people from participating in programming that reduces recidivism. By preventing registered parents from participating in their own children’s education we are fostering a next generation of kids who will grow up without proper guidance and unfairly stigmatized. By creating policies based on bad information, we are doing more harm than good.

Which brings us to our second topic; politics. No matter your political affiliation, whether you can vote or not, it is critically important to learn as much as you can about the politicians running for office and advocate for those whose plans align most closely with yours. Next week (on August 28) Florida will be holding its primary election. This election will be huge for us. Up for grabs are the offices of Governor and Attorney General, along with a number of legislators. Our last governor single-handedly took away our voting rights – we need a governor that will help restore them. We also want politicians who oppose mass incarceration, believe in restorative justice and second chance policies, and most importantly; support registry reform. You might think that all politicians break promises when they enter offices, but thinking logically; if someone is speaking out against private prisons during their campaign, chances are they are not getting much financial support from the private prison companies and will be less likely to have favors to pay back if elected.

As the candidates are in “campaign mode” it’s a good time to reach out to them and ask for their position on certain issues. They may not have the time to answer, but by contacting them they will know that their constituents are interested in these issues. Our legislative committee is actively seeking volunteers to help us compile candidate positions on matters important to FAC and for other legislative efforts. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Anita in membership at anita@floridaactioncommittee.org.

Sincerely,

The Florida Action Committee

SOME HEADLINES FROM THIS WEEK

Sex Offender Approved as Class Representative in Modem Class Action Lawsuit

A small bit of encouragement came from a civil class action lawsuit, IN RE ARRIS CABLE MODEM CONSUMER LITIGATION, Dist. Court, ND California 2018. Plaintiffs, a group of consumers, are suing cable modem manufacturer, Arris, in a class action lawsuit. The case has…

Florida’s prisons are more expensive than ever. What will the next governor do about it?

SOURCE: Jacksonville.com Here are some excerpts. To read the entire article, visit the link: Even as crime rates and prison admissions have fallen over the past decade, ever-lengthening criminal sentences have left Florida prisons full of inmates and in need of a…

Why is this taking so long?

One of the most frequent questions received by our legal department is “when will ___ happen?” or “why is it taking so long for ___?” There is nobody that wants relief to come sooner than we do. We on the Board are all personally impacted by the registry as either…

Sex Offender Registration Influenced by Racial Bias, Ohio Study Claims

SOURCE: Center on Media Crime and Justice at John Jay College of Criminal Justice The classification of sex offenders based on the risks they pose to the community following their release from prison is subject to racial bias, according to a study published in the…