One of the Pennsylvnia Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (PARSOL)’s top priorities is to ensure our communities and leaders recognize that sexual harm is a preventable public health issue, a significant paradigm shift from society’s predisposed criminal justice response. In support of this priority, PARSOL staff and key volunteers attend relevant conferences and workshops. On June 25-26, 2024, PARSOL…
Read MoreCategory: Learning Center
Panel Discussion Recap: Registry, Reentry, Restoration
Reentry into society after incarceration is a journey fraught with obstacles. For individuals forced to register on the Pennsylvania Megan’s Law registry, these challenges become even more formidable as stigma and restrictive policies compound the difficulties of finding housing, employment, and acceptance. At a recent panel discussion, experts, advocates, and justice-impacted individuals convened to discuss the path forward, sharing insights…
Read MoreBridging Humanity & Justice: A Trauma Informed Approach
At the heart of the 2024 PARSOL Fall Conference’s opening plenary, Pennsylvania Executive Deputy Attorney General Robert Reed, Esq. delivered an impassioned address centered on justice, empathy, and systemic reform. This keynote captured the challenges marginalized individuals face and proposed transformative strategies to create trauma-informed systems that honor humanity. Reed’s presentation illuminated the path toward a compassionate and equitable society…
Read MoreDomestic Travel On the Registry Challenges
Involvement with the legal system in the United States can be a traumatizing experience. For those who have been found guilty of crimes of a sexual nature, this process almost always results in a massive upheaval of what is considered normal. The dread of what is going to play out in the courts, the shame of exposure, and the remorse…
Read MoreTreatment Models and Advocacy for One’s Own Care
📅 Date: Friday, April 5, 2024🕖 Time: 7:00 PM (EST)💲 Free for PARSOL members, or $10 (includes one-year introductory membership) In this session, Dr. Jennifer Weeks, a distinguished expert in the field of sexual addiction and “sex offender” treatment programs, will delve into treatment models and the crucial aspect of advocating for one’s own treatment. Gain valuable insights and strategies…
Read MoreKeeping Hope Alive: Applying for Pardons in Pennsylvania
Today, the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons has over 2,400 applications it is processing thanks to the efforts of the Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity’s state-wide initiative, the “Pardon Project,” and others like it. Before these efforts were made, the board only handled around 400 +/- a year. Even with those lower numbers, the recent administration still had pardons sitting on…
Read More