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…
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Back in June of 2023 we published an article Are the Courts the New Galileo? It focused on Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (SCOPA) shifting away from the popular “frightening and high” myth and moving to uphold the science that persons forced to register (“PFRs”) pose a very low recidivism risk. Justice Kevin Brobson was quoted when referring to the Court…
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In these past few years, I have learned that in a world where emotions often dictate our perceptions and actions, it is essential to reaffirm the fundamental importance of truth. While emotions are undeniably powerful and influential aspects of our human experience, they should not supersede the pursuit and acknowledgment of truth. The truth matters first and foremost, serving as…
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Under Our Roof: A Son’s Battle for Recovery, a Mother’s Battle for Her Son by Madeleine Dean & Harry Cunnane Written by the mother-son duo of Pennsylvania Congresswoman Madeleine Dean and Harry Cunnane, the authors alternate chapters, each writing what they thought and felt while they were going through the son’s addiction to opioids and the journey through recovery. Madeleine…
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Submitted by Atwo Zee, Registered Traveler Not long after I returned to Iowa after the 2024 NARSOL conference in Atlanta, I received an email forwarded by the national NARSOL office. This message came to them on their main “Contact Us” email address, and whoever sent it was looking specifically for me, “whose story “Unwanted Images” hit home when I was…
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Originally posted 5/3/24 – Updated 7/15/24 with JSGC information. Pennsylvania HR 47 is a 2023 Resolution directing the Pennsylvania Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study on voting patterns and knowledge about voting rights among formerly incarcerated qualified electors in Pennsylvania and submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the House of Representatives. In response to this…
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The management of those convicted of sex-based crimes after release has been largely effectuated through the enforcement of civil (rather than criminal) laws. The use of civil regulations as management tools has the distinct benefit of permitting criminal justice officials to restrict the freedom and privacy of sex offenders without abiding by the stricter procedural requirements that would be constitutionally…
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PARSOL board members John Dawe, Lisa Perry, David Garlock, and Lisa Kessler-Peters traveled to Atlanta on June 20-23 for the 16th Annual NARSOL Conference. The conference allowed us to spend time with our colleagues from across the country working on rational reform. Meghan Mitchell’s opening presentation on the effectiveness—or rather lack thereof—of criminal registries set the bar at excellent, a…
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HARRISBURG, PA – The Pennsylvania Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws is excited to announce its 2024 Fall Conference which will be held on Friday, November 15, 2024 at the Tree of Life Lutheran Church in Harrisburg. Click Here to Register for the Conference Information about: “We invite participants to join us for a dynamic one-day conference dedicated to exploring…
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Introduction The long-awaited Commonwealth v. Torsilieri (Pa. 2024) (Torsilieri II) opinion finally dropped on May 31, 2024 – fifty-three weeks after the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (SCOPA) heard oral arguments. What PARSOL hoped would be a ‘slam dunk’ win after the Chester County Court of Common Pleas decided twice in the defendant’s favor only became a huge disappointment. SCOPA, in…
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