Are Registrants “Poster Children” in NARSOL’S “Registered Humans” Project?

Usually I am supportive of what I read on the NARSOL (National Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws) website.  It seems like a good organization, very informative and supportive, however….

Their most recent idea, a project called “Registered Humans” gives me cause for concern.

The idea behind the project is to put a name,a face and a story to the sex offender/registrant label, to show John Q. Public that all registrants aren’t  “creepy monsters” like they’ve been led to believe, that these are normal human beings with flaws, just like you and I.  Maybe if we can just get the public to put a name to a face and read stories of how people have turned their lives around, show that they’ve contributed to society, raised families, have hopes and dreams just like the rest of us, maybe, surely, society will accept them again.

Ah, I don’t think this is the way to go.

First of all, to meet criteria for the Registered Humans Project registrants are required to be “offense free” for 1 year or more, then they are asked to send in a brief written  “snapshot of their life”, along with a “true” full or partial name and a photograph of themselves.

Hmmm, isn’t that kind of like what the registry requires? Name, photo, snapshot of your offense?

How many registrants want to “re-subject” themselves to harrassment or violence by putting their name, picture and a “snapshot” of their former and current life and how they’ve overcome adversity, on yet another website? It’s because of the registry and this kind of info being easily available to John Q. Public that registrants can’t find jobs and housing and are already subjected to ill treatment by the public, violence, family and job harrassment, etc.

Why would an organization like NARSOL ask registrants to do this?

Currently there are two “snapshot life stories” with names and pictures on NARSOL’s “Registered Humans” project website.  I read the stories, I looked at the pictures, happy, smiling registrants yet I couldn’t help being reminded of those ASPCA ads on TV that I can’t bear to watch, the heartbreaking stories of abused animals, complete with sad pictures, urging me to donate money to a good cause. It seems to me that NARSOL is turning registrants into a print ad to gain public sympathy? Why would they do that?

Writing a short encouraging, up-lifting story to show how someone’s overcome the challenges of life on the registry “might” be a good thing. We all like to hear that it’s possible to rebuild a life in spite of the registry. But a website where registrants are made to share their name and photo if they want to share their story, seems like a recipe for disaster.

When I thought it couldn’t get much worse, I read that NARSOL plans a Part 2 Registered Humans video project to be used as public service announcements. I can only imagine faces of registrants showing up on the TV screen,  “Does this look like the face of a sex offender?” “How about this one?”  Is this really the direction that helping educate the public should be going in?

Now, I am by no means suggesting that registrants should be ashamed of themselves and hide from public view, I just don’t think being forced to submit your name, partial or otherwise and a photograph, should be part of the criteria for being part of this project.  There’s plenty of folks out there that would love to tell their stories but we all know that the current public arena is not always welcoming and alot of people just aren’t willing to risk more ridicule than they already must endure because of the registry by “putting a name to a face”.

NARSOL, we are better than this.  I don’t believe registrants want or need public sympathy.  I think registrants want the public to hear true facts regarding the registry. I think they’d be happy to tell their stories in a safe, sane way to educate the public and to also encourage others who are traveling the registry road.

We just don’t need to make registrants into public “poster children” for the sake of obtaining saner sex offender laws.

This approach just seems so wrong in so many ways!.

 

 

5 thoughts on “Are Registrants “Poster Children” in NARSOL’S “Registered Humans” Project?

  • January 2, 2019 at 6:03 pm
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    I too suggested this on my blog – LadyJusticeMyth – but got no response. I thought it could be a good idea to have an ‘unregistry’ where these people can tell you their truth. Unfortunately, I think those on the registry are just so afraid, and probably for good reason. I hear so many stories of police creating criminals for money – it just sickens me.
    I think this is a good idea, but I don’t think it will get much traction.

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  • December 8, 2018 at 6:42 pm
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    I agree and believe that registrants would like to tell their stories in a safe environment so that we can educate the public. They need to be able to match a face with a human being, sometimes beautiful, handsome, educated, down to earth, who have kids, spouses, parents they love and try to take care of. We need to get rid of the scare tactics and witch hunts. As was said, we are all human beings, who did something wrong(and nothing in some cases). Without the registry, I believe most of us could and want to be good, productive citizens.

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  • December 7, 2018 at 9:33 pm
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    For one thing, all offenders didn’t really do anything except get caught up in a sex sting. Dectives get on a website for over 21 only. No dirty pictures, no victim at all. They showed up at the address, stood on the porch. Not near a door. Felt something was wrong and started to leave. The police came out to arrest asking if wanted underage child. They could of picked someone up at corners. Guys did time in prision, did probation, group theraphy then on a registery. i believed they are getting out of hand . Last sting the sheriff said on TV that most of them never had a recorder. So yes registery is getting out of hand.

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  • November 12, 2018 at 11:50 am
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    I completely agree with this article I think more emphasis should be placed on educating the public to the fact that the vast majority of registrants do not re-offend. The public still believes overwhelmingly that registered sex offenders are all “sharks in the water looking to attack”. I compare 290 registry to law breakers in medieval stockades placed in the center of town. People did not feel sympathy for the poor person subjected to such public punishment. They pelted them with insults and rotten fruit.

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  • September 18, 2017 at 8:51 am
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    Yes, I understand the point you make to an extent but also think the whole point is to educate the public in a way they can grasp. Happy faces yes, FIRST NAME yes, this could be a break in the cycle that gets to the misinformed. It stands a chance.

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