First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.                                                                                                                                             —Pastor Martin Niemöller

By Sandy . . . We either live in a civilized nation or we don’t. Our legal and judicial system, based on the time-honored premise that one is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law as drawn from the 5th amendment, either means something or it doesn’t. Either our rules of common decency and courtesy are in place to protect the guilty and the unlikable as well as the innocent and the beloved or they protect no one. Our laws and our Constitution either stand for all, or they stand for none.

Once before our country stood balanced on the precipice of injustice becoming the norm, at a time when, in a large portion of the nation, people of color were accorded few if any civil or human rights and were regarded as being, literally, worth less than one of Caucasian ancestry. We managed to draw back from that precipice, but today we stand at yet another, and this one may succeed in destroying us where the other did not.

We have created another monster to fear, another whose life is worth less than any other not in the same classification–the “sex offender.” It is in quotes not to make light of those sexual crimes that cause harm to others but to show that it has become a clearly defined, easily identifiable sub-category of Americans. Violations of civil and human rights visited upon people with historic convictions for any of a vast myriad of reasons are considered “okay” because those people are, after all, “sex offenders.”

Therefore, vigilantes have hunted down registered people, using public registries like roadmaps, and been called “heroes.” Other vigilantes, in tracking down and killing registrants, felt fully justified in also murdering totally innocent persons, in at least two separate incidents, who were present—a friend and a wife.

In March of 2023, a vigilante in Minnesota felt completely justified in violently murdering a man who had previously been on the registry because he “believed” that the former offender would molest his, the murderer’s, daughter and her friends. His actions created a literal storm of defense and praise for his actions, including his being called a “hero” and comments by a former F.B.I. agent that a jury would probably sympathize with him.

Persons simply accused of a sexual offense are vilified and condemned in the press and on social media well in advance of any trial or conviction, often in advance of even an arrest or charges being brought. Men in prison for convictions involving sexual offenses are often considered “fair game” for mistreatment and violence.

Those with past sexual crime convictions are routinely stripped of the rights otherwise their due. They are turned away from emergency shelters during hurricanes or extreme temperature conditions. Even after death the ignominy continues: Some veterans on the registry are denied the right to be buried in veterans’ cemeteries.

In varying parts of our nation, those on a sex offender registry, sometimes with certain offenses, are barred from:

• Living/working/just being where they wish;
• Participating in their children’s education and extra-curricular activities;
• Participating in Halloween (and in Louisiana Christmas and Easter) activities;
• Enjoying public parks;
• Living with a minor in the home;
• Living in long-term-care facilities.

Men have murdered entire families, sometimes their own, and been given a fair trial. Men have murdered heads of state and been accorded their rights under the law. Men have committed the most atrocious of war crimes, annihilating thousands upon thousands, and have been treated with basic decency as they faced their accusers in court.

But none of those men were “sex offenders.” None of those men lived in twenty-first century America bearing a label that marks them as one who is to be accorded no rights, no decency, no fairness, one who even has no right to the claim of innocence until guilt is proven.

The precipice gapes and widens, and its message is this: If our laws do not protect those judged to be the least deserving among us, then they do not protect any of us.

The post The precipice first appeared on NARSOL.

So many of you responded to our request for recommendations of attorneys in your state that you used for sexual crime and registry related issues. Without your participation, this project could not have been developed. Thank you so much.

Some of you will find that the attorney(s) you submitted are not included in the database. That is because they were all emailed, told they had been recommended by a former client, and asked if they wanted to be in the database, but we have included only the ones who responded affirmatively. They are marked with the blue “N” (NARSOL) symbol. The ones who did not respond are not included.

The names in the database that are not marked with the blue “N” are attorneys who were part of the original resource site. They have been verified as having current legal practices that include the representation of clients with sexual offense charges or registry issues, but they have not been recommended to NARSOL by former clients.

It is important to remember that all of the names in the attorney database are for informational purposes only. NARSOL does not endorse or recommend any of the attorneys on this list; however, those with the NARSOL symbol have been suggested by you, NARSOL’s members and supporters. All who use this resource should conduct their own due diligence in selecting legal representation.

Your input is still welcome. At the end of the attorney listings, there is a form where you can recommend attorneys that you would like included, or you can still send the information to communications@narsol.org. Please include your name so that we can let the attorneys know who recommended them.

Again, thank you for your help with this project.

NARSOL’s resource site is https://resources.narsol.org

The attorney listing is https://resources.narsol.org/site-map/people/attorneys/

The post NARSOL’s attorney database is open for business first appeared on NARSOL.

Notice anything different? Check out our brand-new and improved website; we hope you like what you see!

This has been a work in progress for some time now, and we are very excited to get it up and running. The tech committee and some very talented volunteers have been working diligently, and thanks go out to the site www team for a job well done.

As you can tell, this is a complete makeover of our website.

The logo is new but you can still see our trademark eclipse with the sun peeking out, showing hope in the face of darkness. It is designed to be usable in many different sizes and locations. Our previous logo was often challenging in this regard. The new colors are calming, harmonious, and peaceful as well. You’ll see the new theme displayed across all of our sites, including Tales from the Registry, Resources, and our State Wiki.

The appearance is more streamlined, clean, and easy to navigate. Some of our Resources site lists have been brought right into the main site, such as blogs, books, and podcasts; and our site content has been reviewed and updated to largely eliminate the term “sex offender” in favor of person-first language.

We hope you’ll take the time to wander through the pages. You may find a real gem!.

The post Check out NARSOL’s new look! first appeared on NARSOL.

The post Press Release: NARSOL calls for end to sex offender registries first appeared on NARSOL.

By Daniel A. Wilson and Russell J. Hatton . . . On Saturday, June 18, 2022, the National Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (NARSOL) held their annual2022 convention in Raleigh, North Carolina. Russell J. Hatton and I developed one of their workshops even though we are two detainees from one of the most draconian and egregious so-called commitment programs in the nation. How we managed to create a workshop for a national convention in another state is a lesson in determination and faith.

Before we even knew what NARSOL was, both Russell and I had developed an intense focus for freedom, making it our number one priority. We are both fathers, brothers, sons and uncles. We both feel an intense responsibility to do everything in our power to get home to our loved ones. Our focus on freedom occupies the majority of our time, energy and finances. From the moment we wake up to the moment we go to bed, freedom is on our minds… NOT treatment, NOT X-Box, NOT the women that work here… FREEDOM. Everything else is secondary. Developing our focus for freedom was the first step that led to the workshop in North Carolina.

After we began to focus on freedom, we discovered blatant corruption and malpractice at the institution. We shed light on these issues and began to ask shadow prison administrators for answers. When no honest answers were forthcoming, we organized peaceful protests that were attended by over 100 fellow detainees. The protesting had very little affect until shadow prison administration reacted.

When they blatantly retaliated with terrorizing oppression in response to our peaceful assemblies, journalists, civil rights advocates, and other supporters came out of the woodwork. When most of the men at the institution thought the movement was dead in the water, that is actually when waves of support came rushing in. One of those waves was NARSOL. This is when we were invited to coordinate a workshop to teach the public about why these shadow prisons must be abolished. Initially, we were overwhelmed by the idea. We obviously could not personally attend and were not sure if we could send anyone. However, we trusted in God to help us.

Our initial task was to find someone to physically go to North Carolina. We asked many supporters, but two months before the event, there were still no takers. Finally, about six weeks before the event, we found two individuals who volunteered to conduct our workshop. The first person was Professor Trevor Hoppe, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, North Carolina. We met Professor Hoppe after providing input or an academic article he co-authored for UCLA tn2020, “Civil Commitment of People Convicted of Sex Offenses in the United States.” We are acknowledged at the end of that article for our input in the final publication. This report was referenced by Senator Ted Cruz in the confirmation hearings of Ketanji Brown Jackson. It says something about Hoppe’s work that the article would end up at the White House. Professor Hoppe is also the author of the book Punishing Disease and the co-author of another book, The War on Sin.

The second volunteer was Christian Doggett. Mr. Doggett is a member of NARSOL and has organized a support group called “Fearless” to provide a supportive community for persons who are required to register. We met Mr. Doggett after an anti-civil commitment rally held in St. Paul, Minnesota, in July 2021.

While Professor Hoppe only had to drive a few hours to get to the workshop, we needed to find travel funds for Mr. Doggett, who lives in Minneapolis. Round-tip plane tickets from Minneapolis to Raleigh were about $385, but were projected to soar by the end of May. Time was not on our side, and we had only a few weeks to raise the money.

Fortunately, an angel advocate offered to loan the money for the plane ticket, which by that time had gone up to $533. This particular angel advocate was not someone random. He is a fellow abolitionist who we worked with for over two years and built a professional relationship with. Because he had witnessed our integrity, and hard work towards the cause of abolishing SVP confinement, this individual felt comfortable lending the money. Every dime of our own money, and anything donated, goes directly to this cause.

Finding the money for the plane ticket was the easy part. From when the angel-advocate agreed to lend the $500 to the time Mr. Doggett bought the plane ticket was just under three weeks. It took dozens of phone calls and text messages and even one make-shift ZOOM call to complete this critical element of the project. These gentlemen have lives, and yet they find room in their day for us. It’s remarkable. Doing this work reminds us that life is complicated in the real world. This work keeps us grounded and keeps us from becoming institutionalized.

After countless phone calls and months of preparation, it was finally the day of the workshop. When the workshop began, NARSOL founder Paul Shannon introduced Professor Hoppe first. Hoppe told the crowd that in Minnesota hearsay can be used to civilly commit anyone with a clean record. When the professor said that SVP commitment is indefinite, an audible gasp rose from the audience. The professor spoke about the racial and sexual-orientation disparities within SVP commitment, with African American and gay men more likely to be committed than any other demographic. Hoppe said that when it comes to SVP commitment, there are “baked-in homophobic standards.” Hoppe also stated that the terms “mental abnormality,” and “Paraphilia Not otherwise Specified,” which are used to commit people, are not legitimate medical terms.

After Professor Hoppe concluded his presentation, he introduced NARSOL member Christian Doggett. Mr. Doggett took the conference attendees through the PowerPoint presentation that we wrote. He has a calm and personal presentation style that makes him easy to listen to.

In the presentation, Mr. Doggett described us as “SVP Civil Commitment Abolitionists.” The presentation spoke on the two truths that motivate us: 1) Those who support SVP Civil Commitment support sexual violence because SVP Civil Commitment programs take billions of taxpayer dollars away from programs that actually prevent sexual violence in our communities. 2) SVP Civil Commitment is preventive detention, which flies in the face of the American value that we are all innocent until proven guilty. The presentation urged listeners to start similar movements to abolish SVP commitment in other states.

After Mr. Doggett’s presentation, we called in to speak to the audience. I spoke about how witnessing 32 deaths in 5 years has motivated me to find ways to create awareness. There has been a sharp rise in the death rate in last five years of the MSOP program. There were 6l deaths in the first22 years; that is a death every 133 days. In contrast, there were 32 deaths in the last 5 years. That is a death every 57 days. Therefore, although the program has existed for 27 years, a third of the overall deaths have occurred in just the last 5 years.

I also spoke about when I met Russell. We had a conversation about whether or not SVP commitment was actually preventing sexual assault in Minnesota. It then became our primary focus to shed light on the ineffectiveness of SVP commitment and what should replace it. When I finished these remarks, I introduced Russell, who spoke about how in his Native tradition, he dances for those who cannot dance. He now fights for those who cannot fight. When Russell discovered that the shadow prison treatment program is not legitimate, he began to resist the institution. He quit treatment in 2013 and began studying neuroscience and psychology to find ways to help his peers at the institution. When the pandemic hit, Russell had time to study the DSM and law reviews that pertained to the medical aspects of SVP commitment. He then began to educate his peers. Naturally, other detainees raised the issue of misdiagnosis to facility staff.

When these legitimate concerns were ignored, we began to organize peaceful assemblies, hunger strikes, and protests. 566 people around the world heard our message – including a man from the Netherlands who, during the presentation, emailed us and said, “I want to join. How can I help?” We are in communication with him now.

When we were asked to partner with NARSOL, we felt a high like no other. Speaking at the NARSOL conference on behalf of others is a real honor. We realize that we are not only speaking for those in the Minnesota Shadow Prison; we want to be a voice for the many preventively detained across our nation. We do not see ourselves as better than or less than; we see ourselves as equals to others. This is what makes us human.

When we need to refocus on our mission, we often go back to that first conversation we had about whether or not these institutions are protecting the public. We began this journey together with every thought rooted in empathy for victims of sexual assault and for the men confined. We have advanced this empathy into compassion, action, and a powerful movement. We will continue to condemn SVP commitment and promote effective prevention programs that actually protect our communities.

We seek to inspire detainees to discover their own unique ways of getting involved. At the risk of sounding harsh, we must be honest about something: When our peers believe that we are more capable than they are, they are giving themselves an excuse to do nothing.

I say that with love. All detainees have unique gifts they can utilize. None of us have any excuses. Guys would be amazed at just how much they are loved by our outside supporters. However, we cannot expect others to do more than we are willing to do. We must all lead the way.

Together, we will end SVP commitment across the nation. We are bringing dignity back to the mental health field and securing the freedom of Americans for future generations. We have supporters in the free world who arc more than to stand up for us, but only if we are willing to stand up for ourselves. Our freedom is our responsibility, no one else’s, and if we don’t find ways to work together, we will die together.

There are two simple ways you can help advance this cause: First, encourage your friends and family members to become Facebook followers at Facebook.com/endmsop. These days, social media is one of the best ways to connect with likeminded people and to stay informed on future events for the cause. Second, donate to the cause at thevoicesofocean.net/donations. All proceeds are tax exempt and processed through a non-profit program.

The post CIVIL COMMITMENT: How Two Detainees from Minnesota Organized a Workshop in North Carolina first appeared on NARSOL.

By Sandy . . . United States Senator Josh Hawley failed in his attempt to have what he calls the PROTECT Act of 2022 from passing the U.S. Senate chamber unanimously thanks to an objection from Illinois senator Dick Durbin. This particular parliamentary procedure is known as unanimous consent and fails if one or more members of the body voices an objection.

This does not kill the bill; it simply means that rather than being “fast-tracked,” it is referred to committee, in this case the Committee on the Judiciary.

This bill, SB3951, according to the language on Hawley’s press release, will

. . . create a new mandatory minimum sentence of five years for every child porn offender who possesses pornography, and prohibit judges from sentencing below the Guidelines range for facts found during trial or admitted by the defendant. This change will ensure that judges impose tougher sentences on child pornography offenders.

Under this bill, judges will have no discretion in sentencing and will be unable to make any considerations based on individualization.

This bill makes several incorrect assumptions; to the contrary:

• much online pornography is unsolicited and clicks can be accidental or out of curiosity;
• those who view child pornography vary widely;
• longer prison sentences do not enhance rehabilitation.

In partnership with Families Against Mandatory Minimums, NARSOL has sent a formal letter of opposition to the bill to the Senate Judiciary Committee chair and all its members, listed here.

Those who reside in states which a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee represents may write your own letter of opposition to him/her and may use the points listed above in stating your opposition. Remember also to make clear that the member is your elected senator and that you are not in agreement with the policies dictated by SB3951. Keep your letter concise and to the point.

We who advocate against laws such as SB3951, which lump all offenders into one heap and then do not allow judicial discretion in sentencing, need to know what to expect next.

If the bill passes, those who push for enhanced and additional punishment of all registrants will use its passage as a “gloating” point in future campaigns and possibly a stepping stone to a higher position.

If the bill does not pass, those who push for enhanced and additional punishment of all registrants will use its failure to claim an increased threat against America’s children and as a scare tactic of what will continue to happen if those who are “soft on crime” are allowed their way.

If the bill stalls and dies in committee, the scenario will be very much the same as if the bill had failed to pass.

Is there anything we can do? Is there anything YOU can do? Yes!

The next time a candidate seeking office or seeking reelection promises to do everything possible to assure that more “criminals” get longer prison sentences, listen to them.

If they promise to make things as tough as possible for “child pornographers” or for “sex offenders,” pay attention.

Believe them.

They almost assuredly mean exactly what they say.

The post ACTION ALERT: Oppose SB3951, the PROTECT Act of 2022 first appeared on NARSOL.

NARSOL is pleased to announce our new advisory council and its inaugural members.

From its beginnings in the late 90’s in Boston by a group of civil libertarians, educators, and other professionals, through the formation of RSOL led by an administrative team, to the transition to NARSOL with a board of directors, our commitment has consistently been to better equip ourselves in the struggle to restore dignity, hope, and constitutional rights to persons with previous sexual crime convictions.

Our creation of an advisory council is the next step in that commitment.

Our first task was to seek out qualified and committed individuals who could provide advice and expertise in a variety of disciplines. Many names were recommended, and as we considered each one, we chose those who maintained the professional and personal qualities of someone who we would be honored to work with in our quest.

The advisory council is a group of prestigious professionals, academics, and community leaders lending their names and providing advice on how NARSOL can better manage the organization. The advisory council will provide NARSOL leadership with guidance on vision, innovation, integration, risk management, and profitability.

It is and will be composed of individuals with relevant experience and recognition in matters of but not limited to: law, legislation, fundraising, public relations, public health, housing and workforce development, marketing, civil rights, law enforcement, and accounting and will provide insights on various trends within and tangential to the NARSOL mission.

We are honored to introduce our first NARSOL Advisory Council members.

Professor Ira Ellman is a Distinguished Affiliated Scholar with the Center for the Study of Law and Society, University of California, Berkeley and on the faculty of the Berkeley Center for Child and Youth Policy. His 2015 article, “ ‘Frightening and High’: The Supreme Court’s Crucial Mistake About Sex Crime Statistics,” has been widely discussed in both legal publications and in key national media.

Dr. Alissa Ackerman is a professor of criminal justice at California State University, Fullerton, and co-founder of Ampersands Restorative Justice. For more than 15 years she has studied every aspect of sexual abuse and the criminal justice policies used after it occurs.  She is internationally recognized for her contributions to the field and her innovative approach that has helped hundreds of people on their path toward healing. She has published several books and has written extensively on topics related to sexual abuse. Her most recent book, Healing from Sexual Violence: The Case for Vicarious Restorative Justice, was published in 2019.

Dr. Fred Berlin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and an attending physician at Johns Hopkins Hospital.  He is the director of the National Institute for the Study, Prevention and Treatment of Sexual Trauma.  That program has been designated by the United States Department of Justice as a national resource site.  He is also the director of the Johns Hopkins Sex and Gender Clinic. He has numerous publications in a variety of medical and psychiatric journals.

Mr. Glenn Martin is the president and founder of GEMtrainers.com, a social justice consultancy firm that partners with non-profits from across the United States to assist with fundraising, organizational development, and marketing. Glenn is a longstanding American criminal justice reform advocate and is the founder and former president of JustLeadershipUSA (JLUSA). He co-founded the Education from the Inside Out Coalition, a national campaign working to remove barriers to higher education facing students while they are in prison and after they are released.

NARSOL is honored to have these men and women on our advisory council; we will continue seeking out and adding additional equally qualified folk to join them and us in our cause.

The post NARSOL announces creation of the NARSOL Advisory Council first appeared on NARSOL.

On our nation’s very first federally recognized Juneteenth holiday, NARSOL successfully managed to get several producers, 11 presenters, and 139 viewers together in one virtual space for our “Building Your Advocacy Tool Kit” live webcast.

In the first of four sessions, David Garlock moderated a lively panel of three reentry advocates who discussed the many challenges and useful strategies employed by formerly incarcerated people  facing reentry after incarceration. They also discussed entrepreneurship, business hiring strategies, legal aspects of reentry, and how to acquire advocacy skills through a variety of endeavors.

In the second session of the day, we were introduced to Daniel Swern and Dave Seamon, both of coLAB Arts, a company that advances advocacy through theatrical arts and community projects. Their presentation included a very moving video segment called “Banished,” in which a young man tells the story of how a past sexual transgression that occurred when he was just ten years old eventually came back to haunt both him and his entire family more than a decade later.

The coLAB Arts Impactful Storytelling session continued into the third segment of the webcast, which consisted of a workshop involving the viewers and assisting them in reimagining and crafting more powerful and memorable stories. The workshop presenters, Dusty and Stephanie, were a dynamic team whose message really resonated with the audience. Viewers came away with solid, useful tools to add to their advocacy tool kits!

The fourth and final session, “Legislative Advocacy,” was moderated by Cindy Prizio and featured Senator Gary Winfield of CT and former Colorado legislator Daniel Kagan. Each offered valuable insights into how an advocate can develop a relationship of trust and familiarity with their elected officials while at the same time establishing their own credibility in their area of advocacy. Each also stressed how important it was to know what the legislators’ agendas and needs are, in additional to our own.

The webcast was, by all accounts, an entertaining and highly productive way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Here are just some of the positive comments we received about the presentations:

• “Extremely helpful information today. Thank you so much!”  ~ Susan T.
• “Just what I wanted and needed.”  ~ Phillip S.
• “Had my doubts, but I learned a ton. A+ Awesome job!” ~ Jeff M.
• “Thank you so much for a wonderful workshop!” ~ Ricky and Emily
• “Thank you, NARSOL for putting on this important 7-hour training on an important day like  Juneteeth! What great training for important issues!  ~ Michael S.
• “Impressive panel! Thanks to all for putting this together. I have been inspired and feel less alone in the fight! Happy Juneteenth!”  ~ Gustavo
• “Thanks for the training and all you are doing to solve this problem!”  ~ Steven I.
• “Great discussions and workshop! Thank you!”  ~ Cathryn T.
• “Feel so empowered!!”  ~ Paige
• “Gives us hope!”  ~ Olivia R.

All of today’s sessions were recorded and will be available to registered attendees on Crowdcast for 30 days. Just log in to Crowdcast using the links sent to you prior to and during the live event, then select which sessions you’d like to view.  In August, each of the sessions will be moved to the NARSOL You Tube channel and the NARSOL Resources (https://Resources.NARSOL.org) website, where they will be available free to the public.

The post NARSOL’s Juneteenth Advocacy Webcast Was an Unqualified Hit first appeared on NARSOL.

Lives On The Registry is working hard to tell the stories of those required to register. “The Story of Jon C” is a new posting on the website.  You may already know Jon as the leader of New Name Ministries in Texas. Jon and his wife Cynthia are working hard at living a beautiful life, as well as creating a pathway for others to do the same.

Jon works directly with registrants who have just been released from incarceration. He has several homes where they live; they  have a strict set of rules they must follow to work through the New Name Ministries Program.

The post The story of Jon C first appeared on NARSOL.

By Mark . . . Chances are, you’ve heard a story or two about someone struggling as a veteran, but have you heard the story of one of the 1 million people listed on a sexual offence registry? Probably not. The popular belief is that these registrants are a) uncommon and b) monsters who will reoffend, but the truth is that they are neither. You haven’t been told the truth, and I’m excited to be part of a team of volunteers at the National Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (NARSOL) working to change that. We tell stories, both in written and video form, with video interviews, whiteboard-narrated stories, and Zoom interviews.

It’s not easy to talk about the consequences of being convicted of a sexual offense with candor and depth, and yet that’s what Christopher P did. Please watch and share. I was inspired by the story of Paul Hanley who faced his demons and came out the other side stronger and a leader. I was very proud to narrate Richard’s story (name has been changed) in this whiteboard video as he works to move on with his life and also bring a new life into this world.

Even more stories are being produced as I write this and you’ll want to go to our YouTube channel, like it, and subscribe to it to hear more. These stories will help you understand why NARSOL and other advocacy groups are fighting for change and why ignoring the stories of people on registries does a disservice to society.

The post New NARSOL project: Lives on the registry first appeared on NARSOL.