Time served should be just that, a sentence of time decided by the court that has a beginning and an end. Apparently this is not so for sex offenders. Some sex offenders seem to be getting caught up in the…
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A Camper In The Woods: A Counselor’s Definition of “Housing Success”
Registrants and PTSD Screening
Periodically registrants in Sex Offender Group Therapy (you know, that “one-size-fits-all” group therapy that most registrants on supervision are mandated to attend after release from prison) are asked to fill out a screening questionnaire. The questionnaire asks about their basic…
TN TBI Blames Partial Budget Shortfall on “Uncollected Sex Offender Fees”
Thank you TN for dropping this blog piece right in my lap, it makes my job so much easier! The state of TN Comptroller of the Treasury/ Jan.2018 Audit is complete and it’s not looking good for TBI. Although there’s…
Does Social Justice Exist for Registrants?
There are dozens of definitions of Social Justice. Wikipedia defines it as the concept of fair and just relations between the individual and society. This is measured by the explicit and tacit terms for the distribution of wealth, opportunities…
Changing the Question “IS” the Answer
Have you had any contact with children? That’s the standard question to registrants from P.O.’s and polygraph technicians. Shouldn’t the question be, “Have you had any “Inappropriate” contact with children?” Wouldn’t that solve a lot of the registry woes? It’s…
Sex Offense: An Unpayable Debt?
“No matter how much time you’ve spent in prison, you haven’t exactly paid your debt to society.” This was recently told to a group of registrants by a counselor in a sex offender therapy group. So, are sex offenses an…
TN US District Court Case May Be Pivotal for Registrants
A case filed in US District Court, Nashville, TN last week has the potential to be a pivotal point in changing the registry, not only for John Doe who is filing the suit, but for all registrants. Plaintiff John Doe…
If We Are Sex Offenders, They Are Sex Offenders !
Sexual Misconduct. Sexual Harassment. Inappropriate Sexual Behavior. Sexual Advances. Propositioning. Groping. Indecent Photos. Non-Consensual Sex. We are at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to those of power, fame and fortune being knocked off their pedestals for sexual…
Be An Educated Consumer When It Comes To Court Mandated Sex Offender Therapy
Any Group Therapy is supposed to be a “safe” environment. A setting conducive to treatment, a place where one feels safe and secure enough to open up about their issues not only to the therapist who oversees the group but also…
Registrants Forced to Wear “Imaginary Blinders”
I sure you’ve seen horses wearing blinders. Their purpose is to keep the horse looking straight ahead and focused, keep the horse’s side view blinded so that it doesn’t become distracted by anything in it’s peripheral vision. It prevents the…
The Registry Sabotages Chances of Employment
I overheard a P.O. tell a registrant “You need to make finding a job, your job. Get out there from 7AM to 4PM, knocking on doors, looking for a job.” I wanted to tell her to “Snap Out Of It…
The Indignity of the Registry
Nothing says Indignity like being on the Registry! There’s the indignity of Compliance checks. Unannounced visits, intrusive walk-thru’s of your house, questions that, if asked of anyone else, would be deemed totally inappropriate . I’m not yet sure how I’m…
Registrants Not Allowed to Celebrate Halloween/ Fall Holidays
Hear ye, Hear ye, All Registrants, You Are Not Allowed to Celebrate Fall ! According to the Halloween/Fall Holiday paperwork one registrant received, Registrants can not celebrate the Fall Holidays! Not just Halloween, THE FALL HOLIDAYS! What does that mean?…
Bonds, Parolee’s and Sex Offenders
You’ve journeyed through Hell. You’ve traveled the long road of court dates and jail/prison sentences. Done your time. And now, finally, you’re out. Free, Semi-Free, On Supervision,whatever you want to call it. Time to get on with your life, right?…
What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger
I didn’t think I could do it. I didn’t think I was strong enough. I thought it would kill me. I was sure I would break down, fall apart into a million pieces and just die. And so, I waited.…
Registration Fees “Nothin’ From Nothin’ Leaves Nothin’!”
Some of you may recall an old song by Billy Preston, Nothin’ From Nothin’ Leaves Nothin’. That’s what I think of when I hear about the registry fees and the other fees that registrants pay. There are membership fees associated…
Analogy for The Supreme Court
An exellent article in “Collateral Consequences Resource Center” by Bidish Sarma addresses the question we’ve all asked, “hasn’t society’s war on sex offenders who have already completed criminal sentences, gone too far?” We all know the answer, of course it’s…
BOP Bungles Sex Offender’s Transitional Housing
Asking to speak with the prison warden was much like Dorothy asking to speak to the Wizard of Oz. No one gets in to see him!. No way no how!. You need an appt.,come back in a year!. Better yet,…
It’s The Clothes That Make The Man
He is being released from prison after 5 and 1/2 long years. Years that seemed like an eternity to his family. We receive the “prison clothing form” in the mail 4 weeks before his get out date. For those of…