AltWeeklies Wire
Run-on Sentencenew
An unforgiving and broken system is forcing sex offenders further to the fringes of society—and that’s dangerous for all of us.
Philadelphia City Paper |
Samantha Melamed |
08-24-2012 |
Crime & Justice
Keeping Tabs on Sex Offendersnew
More than 260 registered sex offenders tracked by Casey Carpenter have been naughty in the past. It’s her job to make sure that they remain nice, or, at least, where they’re supposed to be when they’re supposed to be there. And so Carpenter, an administrative clerk at the Springfield Police Department, keeps lists and checks them twice.
Illinois Times |
Bruce Rushton |
08-25-2011 |
Crime & Justice
Sex Offenders Incognitonew
The Georgia sex offender registry was created to help keep people safe. But how can it do that if it's riddled with errors?
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
Randy Wyles |
02-08-2011 |
Policy Issues
For Paroled Sex Offenders in San Francisco, Only One Choice: Life on the Streetsnew
In 2006, voters passed Jessica's Law, a ballot measure promising to better track people who'd committed sex crimes. Such people would be banned from living 2,000 feet from a park or school. In densely populated San Francisco, that basically means they can't live anywhere at all.
SF Weekly |
Lauren Smiley |
12-30-2009 |
Crime & Justice
Homeless Under Julia Tuttle Try to Pass for Sex Offendersnew
Since 2006, Florida Department of Corrections officials have forced convicted sex offenders to live under the Julia Tuttle upon their release from prison. At last count, 140 of the social exiles have lived on what might be post-recession Miami's only high-demand waterfront property.
Miami New Times |
Gus Garcia-Roberts |
12-21-2009 |
Crime & Justice
New Mexico's Laws and GPS Technology Keep Sex Offenders Under Lock and Signalnew
In orbit 13,000 miles above earth, 24 US military satellites with atomic-clock hearts cycle the earth twice a day. The Corrections Department relies on this Big Brother-style satellite technology to track the 80 sex offenders currently under real-time electronic supervision.
Santa Fe Reporter |
Dave Maass |
09-24-2009 |
Crime & Justice
Can Vermont Towns Tell Registered Sex Offenders Where to Live?new
Convicted sex offender Chris Hagan is suing the town of Barre over its ordinance prohibiting sex offenders from living within 1000 feet of schools and recreation facilities such as parks and playgrounds.
Seven Days |
Sally West Johnson |
06-19-2009 |
Crime & Justice
Miami Wants the State to Help with its Growing Sex Offender Colonynew
To sum up the good-intentioned, if somewhat toothless, resolution passed by the city: Miami will ask the state to form a task force to study and solve the public-safety-meets-human-rights nightmare.
Miami New Times |
Natalie O'Neill |
02-23-2009 |
Policy Issues
Is Vermont's Anti-Sex-Offender Hysteria Really Helping Kids?new
Pretty soon, no penalty of a sex offender is considered cruel and unusual enough. When the Supreme Court ruled that capital punishment for the rape of a child is unconstitutional, both presidential candidates expressed disappointment in the decision.
Seven Days |
Judith Levine |
08-15-2008 |
Crime & Justice
Banning Sex Offenders from West Haven's Public Places Won't Keep Kids Safenew
There are 57 registered sex offenders living in West Haven, and the City Council is trying to ban all of them from its beaches, parks, sports facilities and swimming pools in order, they say, to protect the children. The idea comes riddled with questions about constitutionality, enforceability and its real effect on the safety of children.
New Haven Advocate |
Rachel Slajda |
06-24-2008 |
Crime & Justice
Do Sex Offender Registries Work?new
The term "sex offender" conjures a kind of monolithic image -- one that's reinforced by the news media and tough-on-crime politicians, despite evidence to the contrary. Misperception and fear, rather than good empirical research, seem to be what drives sex-offender laws. A case in point is a new law that takes effect this week in San Diego.
San Diego CityBeat |
Kelly Davis |
04-16-2008 |
Crime & Justice
Wrongful Commitmentnew
Tougher sex-offender laws will not make communities safer -- indeed, it could make them more dangerous.
Seven Days |
Judith Levine |
01-31-2006 |
Commentary
