The following Opinion/Editorial appeared in the December 20, 2024 issue of MerionWest. Portez Smith arrived outside Jesse Grover’s Pennsylvania duplex early on Sunday, November 17th of this year, yelling through the closed door, “Grover, you’re a f—ing pedophile.” When Grover opened the door, Smith pulled out a gun and shot him to death. Grover was registered on Pennsylvania’s sex offender…
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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 MoreBREAKING NEWS: PARSOL Condemns the Tragic Killing of Jesse Grover, Victim of the Public ‘Sex Offender’ Registry
For Immediate Release November 22, 2024 — The Pennsylvania Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (PARSOL.org) mourns the tragic and senseless death of Jesse Michael Grover, a 31-year-old resident of Sharon, Pennsylvania, whose inclusion on the public “sex offender” registry for an offense more than ten years ago, appears to have made him a target for gun violence. Jesse was…
Read MoreSURVEY RESULTS: Voter Disenfranchisement High Among Reentrants with Sex-Related Offenses
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…
Read MoreThe Value of Involuntary Treatment
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…
Read MorePARSOL releases new report on autism, IDD, & sex offenses
As Pennsylvania observes both Autism Acceptance Month and Sexual Assault Prevention Month this April, the Pennsylvania Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (PARSOL) has released a new report focusing on individuals with autism spectrum disorders and other intellectual and developmental disabilities who are involved in sexual offense cases.
Read MoreMaking a Return to Prison, now as a Guest Speaker
More than three years after my release, I had the opportunity to return to Houtzdale State Correctional Institution’s Veterans’ Block (VSU) to tell my story to the Veterans still incarcerated. Unfortunately, the story of soldiers returning from combat who end up behind bars is not a unique one. Surprisingly, after my talk, I found out that the unit had never…
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 MorePennsylvania House Judiciary Should Cut Exclusions from New Anti-Recidivism Act
HB 1678 would provide tremendous resources and support for persons incarcerated in Pennsylvania, but it excludes persons with sex crimes for no good reason.
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