Pennsylvania State Representatives have introduced House Bills 47 and 77. These bills target persons forced to register under PA’s Megan’s Law. If passed, an individual forced to register as a “sexually violent predator” who resides within 2,500 feet of a public school, private school, parochial school, or day-care center would have six months after the law’s effective date to relocate…
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I got a call from my son in the fall of 2019. He said he had something important to tell me and wanted to meet me at a private location. He sounded worried. I felt a sense of urgency in his voice. I had no idea what he was going to tell me. He shared he was under investigation for…
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SO: The New Scarlett Letters: Sex Offenders, Their Treatment, and Our Challenge, published in 2018, would benefit from person first language. It was coauthored by Marilyn Callahan and Tim Buckley. They have both volunteered in prisons and re-entry programs. Marilyn is a Social worker who has done extensive work with people accused of a sex offense. The people written about…
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The Pennsylvania General Assembly passed Act 53 of 2021 on June 30, 2021. Act 53 did two things: It enhanced the sentencing penalty on child pornography; and It established the Task Force on Child Pornography (TFCP). The Task Force’s Recommendations The TFCP was comprised of legislators, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, victim advocates, and psychologists. Together, they examined the sentencing of…
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UPDATE: PARSOL has been made aware that the below scam continues to be pervasive as recently as January 25, 2023. Please be aware of it.
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I recently penned an essay on felony voting disenfranchisement at the request of an incarcerated friend who needed assistance with a Villanova University application question. As I concluded my composition, I could not help but ponder the countless instances in which PFRs are disenfranchised absent any legitimate government interest or reasonable general risk. As such, the promise of equal protection…
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Hello, supporters, and Happy New Year. We need your help. 2023 brings us a new 2-year Legislative Session and, with it, a fresh list of Members for all Committees. Here at PARSOL, we are particularly attune to the composition of the Judiciary Committees, where most laws affecting sexual offense policy must first pass before moving on to the House or…
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[Harrisburg, PA] The Pennsylvania Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (PARSOL) believes all sexual abuse is unacceptable and that prevention, treatment, and healing are possible. We take a person-first approach to criminal justice reform that cultivates a fair and just society, honors an individual’s inherent dignity, and promotes respect and fairness. As such, we are compelled to weigh in on…
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Those who wish to understand how Pennsylvania’s Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA, Or Megan’s Law) operates today may be dismayed to learn that there are two sets of laws dictating the “who, what, when, where, and hows” of the registry. Misinformation from law enforcement around this confusing scheme is common. Because persons forced to register (PFRs) can be…
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SHAME! SHAME! Judge David Porter for the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court has recently published an opinion on Lacey Stradford; et al (appellees). v. Secretary of Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. The Appellees challenged the Dept. of Corrections (DOC) policy on how they determine which parolees can be released to a halfway house based on that it violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection…
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