Today the U.S. Sentencing Commission released its 2025 amendments to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The amendments will take effect in 6 months unless Congress overrides them. ACTION NEEDED:USSC is seeking comment on retroactivity of the amendments. Comment Deadline: June 2 ANALYSIS: The below analysis uses the term “sex offender” in direct quote reference to the USSC’s language in the guidelines…
Read More
PARSOL has sent testimony to the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee who is reviewing and voting on HB 462 & HB 464, which we oppose.
Read More
I’m always reminded of the importance of advocacy for one’s self. I know how crucial it is in overcoming the barriers they face in housing, employment, and reintegration as I am one of them too. Without self-advocacy and strong ally support, the challenges imposed by the registry can feel insurmountable. However, I believe that by speaking up and pushing for…
Read More
“Hi, I’m Ashley, a person forced to register and I know all too well how isolating and overwhelming this journey can feel.” – I have the privilege of facilitating Fearless, a support group that has changed my life and the lives of so many others. Like most of the people who attend, Society has a way of making us feel…
Read More
Mr. Robert Roberson was wrongfully convicted in 2003 of murdering his 2 year old daughter, convicted on the basis of “junk science,” but arrested because of the way he acted. His “flat affect” — meaning he didn’t show his emotions — while in the emergency room with her raised the suspicions of hospital staff, leading to his arrest. “His attorneys have…
Read More
The Pennsylvania Superior Court’s recent (21 Mar 2025) decision in Commonwealth v. Davis (No. 1038 MDA 2023) presents a complex legal issue regarding the constitutionality of mandatory life sentences for repeat offenders convicted of distributing child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). Background Joseph J. Davis was convicted of two counts each of sexual abuse of children (distribution of child sexual abuse…
Read More
Book Club Event Details Click Here to Register Online Get the Book About How I Learned to Hide Shining light into the depths of darkness… “Lisa Kessler-Peters invites you on a healing journey in her new book, How I Learned to Hide. Lisa’s deep brokenness began as a child and continued into adulthood. Reading her healing process will start to…
Read More
When criminologist Stephanie Jerstad’s former client, a registered ‘sex offender’ died waiting to find a long-term care facility in Illinois that would accept him, she dedicated her dissertation research to studying if facility-level characteristics matter in explaining organizational policies for the admission of persons on the sex offender registry. This issue intersects with public health, social justice, and human rights,…
Read More