Now that the madness of the Fourth is over and a couple of long lazy weekend days lie ahead, allow the Frog to provide the reading material.
My wish is the subject matter could be light fodder for the mind, a sort of nap with your eyes open. After all, this is a holiday weekend, time to relax. But unfortunately, the page turner provided is anything but light.
Keep your eyes open.
Engage your mind.
And ask questions, especially you attorneys out there.
The Adam Walsh Act Final Guidelines have been released.
The Scarlet Letter of the Twenty-First Century.
Ninety-nine pages of ex post facto fun.
If that's not enough to jump start your interest, feel free to browse these additional links:
Significant Changes to the SORNA Guidelines
Juvenile Offenders Required to Register Under SORNA: A Fact Sheet
Frequently Asked Questions: The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) Final Guidelines
As a Floridian that keeps the light for those who refuse to see the light, here is an immediate spotlight clarifier from the feds regarding the residency restrictions our state lawmakers are so in love with.
10.
Does the Adam Walsh Act place restrictions on where sex offenders can live, work, go to school or loiter?
No. Residency restrictions and safety zones are NOT part of the Adam Walsh Act. All such restrictions are the result of jurisdictional or local legislation, not federal law or the Adam Walsh Act. Numerous jurisdictions and local entities do currently restrict sex offenders from living by or being present within certain areas (e.g., within a certain distance of schools, parks or playgrounds). All inquiries regarding residency restrictions or safety zones are a matter to be addressed at the jurisdictional and local level.
Now that Florida can claim citizens living under bridges due to hysteric lawmaking, I'd say our state legislators have some explaining to do.
The Adam Walsh Act.
Nathaniel Hawthorne would be most impressed.
Lawmakers should reform the AWA to require only violent offenders
who are likely to recidivate to register. Therefore, non-violent
offenders unlikely to recidivate will not be branded as sex offenders—a
scarlet letter that may stigmatize them for life. Furthermore, law enforcement
officials will be able to focus on only dangerous offenders necessitating
supervision and registration. Law enforcement officials will
notify community members about violent and dangerous sex offenders
that live nearby and will educate them about how to keep their children.
safe. If reformed, the AWA will successfully serve its purpose as a
method of public safety.
--Lara Geer Farley, Washburn Law Journal
4/17/2008
