RSOL is a front group for NAMBLA! This article should be taken down!
http://evil-unveiled.com/Reform_Sex_Offender_Laws_Campaign

OldTownie, that is an old lie and a very old tactic, one used when one cannot refute the argument and instead tries to discredit the person or organization making the argument. We are far past the time for that. Too many informed and intelligent people are demanding that our laws be based on facts and truth rather than myths and scare tactics. Please visit out website, www.reformsexoffenderlaws.org. Everything we believe and work toward is right there, and we welcome everyone with a sincere interest in formulating legislation that is fact-based and protects all citizens.

Besides, a majority of our board of directors and a large percentage of our membership are female. What possible interest would we have in promoting or "fronting" for NAMBLA?

This information is also old and printed before. I will assume that you are sincerely interested in factual knowledge. One of our founders many years ago was involved with the other organization when it began and its focus was age of consent laws. He resigned when the focus shifted to something he did not support. He was an activist. He worked with many civil right groups and individuals, among them Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and a delegation working for democracy in Haiti. He helped found RSOL in later life, concerned over the very things that still concern us; laws that are enacted do not follow what research shows as effective and do not protect children from sexual harm. I hope this helps you in your understanding. If not, please go to our website for a full overview of our vision, mission, goals, and assertions that guide our advocacy. Thank you.

OldTownie--"One of your founders was also a founder of NAMBLA" and he was also a member of the civil rights movement with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Does that mean that the NAACP is a front organization for NAMBLA? Don't be absurd! Just because he founded NAMBLA that does not mean that everything that he did should be assumed to be associated with that organization. The association of RSOL with that organization is an ad hominem attack, pure and simple. Please use facts if you wish to dispute us.

Persons who have committed such acts as consensual teen sex should not be considered predators. Persons who have had the indelicacy to urinate in public (as by the side of the road) should not be considered predators. People who have restrained children not their own to protect either that child or another should not be considered predators. These acts are all considered registerable offenses somewhere in the United States. If these people should move to your neighborhood, they look, on the registry, like child rapists. I would reduce sentences for people like these, wouldn't you? And why track these? As for domicile restrictions, they endanger people, without significantly impacting the recidivism rate, which is very low (about 5.3% according to many state and federal studies) and has been for a very long time. And please do not so freely use the term pedophile. It is not accurate for the vast majority of people on the sex offender registry. Pedophilia is a term which refers to a person who prefers sex with a prepubescent child, who is not a child themselves. Again, according to federal studies, most of those convicted of crimes against a child (including statutory rape) are at a median age of 14! These are people who are having sex with their peers, not pedophiles! They are NOT sexual predators and do not deserve to be labelled as such.

This conversation needs to get back on track. Yes, the terms pedophilia and pedophiles are often misused. Pedophilia is not a crime; it is a psychological condition, as pointed out by the previous poster. Many who molest children aren't actually pedophiles, and many who are pedophiles have never committed a crime or touched a child inappropriately.

But the point of this article, at least to me, is that the SORNA legislation is being pushed by the federal government, but the elements it contains do not do what the public believes it will. It is designed to deal only with people who have already committed and been punished for sexual offenses, and it does that in ways that research shows only make things worse for communities, not better, and it does not do anything to stop children from being sexually assaulted because almost no one who continues to sexually abuse children is on the sex offender registry.

Well... Time to stop feeding the retard from "Evil Unveiled" . . Well, at least speaking for myself. No challenge there anyway. Just another foamy-mouthed, fear-mongering 'paper tiger' fool that has nothing new to say except for spreading more of 'evil unveiled' hell-spawned LIES. Don't forget to turn out the lights before you leave, 'old townie'...

There are several excellent reasons why the majority of states have chosen not to become SORNA compliant. The huge price tag that will be borne by the state is by no means the most important reason. SORNA requires juvenile offenders to be registered and handled with the adult offenders, a stance that flies in the face of all research about the most effective treatment of juveniles in the criminal justice system.

Another is the classification system mandated by SORNA, which is the nortoriously ineffective offense based system. Under this system, all individuals with the same offense are ranked the same even though their individual life circumstances and factors are poles apart. Under this system, also, many individuals who are a low-level risk based on the preferred and much more accurate risk-based system, which evaluates a number of individual risk-factors, will overnight, with SORNA in place, be given a high risk level although absolutely nothing will have changed about their circumstances and they will have been offense-free for many years since their one offense.

According to RSOL's own data, the recidivism rate is 5.3%. That's 1 in 19. Your ok with these numbers?

We need stronger laws, with longer penalties. And a nationwide tracking system makes a lot of sense. Despite your mis-information, these are not "minor" crimes wrongly classified. These are predators.

Is any recidivism rate for any crime or offense "acceptable"? What does that mean? Are we happy that a very small percentage of offenders will continue offending? Of course not. This is even truer when it comes to innocent children, especially our own. Can we remove all risk from their world? Of course not again.Why are we so obsessed with sexual abuse of children to the point of paying scant attention to all the other forms of harm and abuse they suffer? Of all the abuse visited upon children, sexual abuse makes up 7.6%. Is that acceptable? Of course not. But why is the other 92.4% acceptable? When is the last time you wrote letters protesting children being beaten by their parents or entire families being victims of domestic violence?

Of all the sex abuse children suffer, registered offenders are responsible for no more than 2%. Is that acceptable? Of course not. But why is the other 98% acceptable? Have you tried to help the 98%? Have you lobbied your school board for age-appropriate sex abuse prevention programs in the schools? Have you volunteered to help at centers that offer victim services? If you really care about the harm being done to children and others, get involved. All of the things that will actually do some good--victim services, meaningful rehabilitation for first time offenders, education and prevention programs--are provided by the private sector, not our huge "sex-offender industry. Get involved where it will help.

I think the pedophile supporters "doth protest too much".

RSOL's message is that the current sex offender laws do not provide for public safety and in fact decrease from public safety by diverting attention and resources away from what is needed to protect children and all in society from sexual harm. Remember our vision statement:
RSOL envisions effective, fact-based sexual offense laws and policies which promote public safety, safeguard civil liberties, honor human dignity, and offer holistic prevention, healing, and restoration.

Our message and our vision will best be proclaimed by our supporters if we focus on them and do not become detracted by negativism or embroiled in personal attacks. Every person has dignity and worth and is entitled to his or her opinion. Stick to evidence-based facts and truth; keep the high ground. Thank you.

Their MISSION: "RSOL will promote laws and programs: limiting registry access strictly to law enforcement agencies; terminating registry requirements upon completion of a court-imposed sentence; reversing retroactively applied restrictions; reforming civil commitment processes; rehumanizing, rehabilitating, and reintegrating former offenders; increasing public safety by reducing sexual offenses; and reducing acts of discrimination, hatred, and violence directed at sexual offenders." another ACLU working for the underdog (SEX OFFENDERS). I do not agree with what you put out there I do not believe in rehabilitation.

Thank you, Suzanne; all opinions are appreciated. Thank you for visiting our website.

When you say you do not believe in rehabilitation, do you mean that you do not believe that it should be offered, or do you believe that that it does not work?

Hey RSOL,
I guess this guy is part of your 5.3%, huh? I better your "holistic prevention" would have stopped him.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/04/tara-willenborg-dead-arrest_n_2806539.html?utm_hp_ref=crime&icid=maing-grid7%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D278440

RSOL makes perfect sense, many folks on the registry do not have a high reoffend rate and have either paid for their crimes , or on the registry for non-serious reasons,
or have allegedly commit a crime so long ago with doubts or were forced into a plea agreement and have had a clean record.

Why is sorna stupid, its because a murderer, arsonist, robber, burglar, drug dealer, drunk driver, scammer, car thief, etc is not on the registry, but a 17 year old teenager who takes a non-nude modeling photo of himself in a suggestive pose is on the registry (pictures need not be shared), or a women who writes a novel about sex abuse (child porn does not have to an image it can text).

Whoever defends the status quo and wants to expand the registry really is buying into politicians claims who have lobbyists and want to run for higher office, really who would you rather have living in your neighborhood, an arsonists or robber, or one who sells your child drugs, or a women who writes a novel about sex abuse?

I for not do not buy politicians "kool aid"..

I guess the Patch moderators have fallen asleep at the wheel, particularly the one who approved this blog for publication.

Reading through the comments, it's clear that those who are advocating on behalf of sex offenders and other predators are from a relatively small geographical area encompassing Brooklyn and Riverhead (Long Island), NY. I'm thinking that they meet in back rooms of public libraries in the area and commiserate with each other concerning how THEY are the victims.

I think that castration is an inappropriate punishment for these monsters. I believe that anyone who is convicted of molesting a minor -- and thus irreparably destroying that child's life -- should have his or her arms surgically removed and the word "rapist" tattooed (in reverse) on their foreheads. This would accomplish 3 things:

1) Every morning when they look in the mirror, they would be reminded of what they are.

2) Because they aren't castrated, they would be good and mad about the manner in which society had punished them.

3) Anyone who had ever been abused by these monsters would be free to pick up a 2x4 or a brick or a good sturdy baseball bat and beat the living piss out of them. Without their arms these predators would be as defenseless as the children they had destroyed in the first place.

Sandy McGee, you are being abused when you agree post "articles" like this. In fact, pieces of this nature will cause your readers to leave Patch in droves. Shame on you.

Hello, Maria. Thank you for your interest in our organization. RSOL is a national organization, incorporated, and we have affiliate organizations in three-fourths of our states, from California to Maine. I ask you to check our website, www.reformsexoffenderlaws.org. Our total organization encompasses many thousands of people. We are moms and dads. We are teachers, attorneys, and doctors. We are registrants, former registrants, family members of registrants, and many who are just citizens concerned about several important issues. One is the erosion of civil liberties and constitutional freedoms. We have studied the patterns of history and know that once a nation starts down the path of denying these to any group of citizens, it always grows and grows. Another is our concern for children and our angst that, while the public believes that the current system serves to protect them and works for general public safety, it actually does neither and is the opposite of what research shows will work.

In case you didn't read the blurb at the end of the article, it says this: "RSOL promotes the elimination of sexual abuse and the preservation of civil rights for all individuals through the use of effective legislation based on empirical research. We envision sexual offense laws based on equal justice and respect for the dignity of all people, protection from retroactively applied punishment, and the establishment of fact-based laws and policies that protect our communities."

Maria, cont.

Again, thank you for reading our article. We hope you will look through our website.

Examples sited of a 17 year old male taking Nude pictures left out the RECIPIENT which got him in trouble with his 12 year old girlfriend.

I have always agreed that a S.O.Tatoo beteen the eyes would aid in our community notice with Scarlett letters. Maria, you are correct....but the problem with this RSOL group is they are not worth more of our time. Their website I sophisticated and looks something like sounds like Scientology. Clearly anyone that is not speaking up for Sex Offenders to have more rights than they already have, will see from these comments and the Mission of ROSL is on the dark side of the protection of our communites Health, Safety and Welfare.

Removal of this post is unnecessary because the arguments we put forth expose their lunacy and their projection of feeding S.O. Community. SORNA is a much needed Federal protection over our State that supplies us with added protection and more $$$$

RSOL is hell bent on minimizing the repercussions to those who feed off society by unzipping their pants. Its their mantra to distort re-offense rates and seek to go back underground. Its what they do. I suppose if I were to be named on the most vile list in society I would seek to go incognito also. But make no mistake .. the system doesnt want to house, feed or bury these poor excuses for DNA so they put them on a list with a huge "beware" sign. There is a reason for this and regardless of how many times RSOL wants to distort the dangers, the majority of those listed should be sitting in a cell ,not free to blog how over-prosecuted and under-served they are. There are remedies for offenders to petition off the list. If an offender meets those pre-requisites, society can usually live with that. Truth being told most "cannot" due to the heinousness of their crimes. That is why RSOL is on a mad-dash to abolish the registry. RSOL's objective is for offenders to go back underground and have the freedom to decimate the boundaries between sex with adults and children. At the end of the day thats what it boils down too. RSOL is a vocal group whose roots stem from Nambla no more, no less. They are NOT to be acknowledged in a healthy society.

The REAL RECIDIVISM STUDIES
1) One approach is to extrapolate a true crime rate from victimization surveys and compare that with reported crime, typically finding that roughly "90% "of sex crimes go unreported. Some put the estimate even higher..
2)One of the main problems with recidivism studies is that all studies measure it differently and define it differently,"
3)One long-term study of sex offenders from Canada measured recidivism seven ways. The highest rate, 88.3%, included prior, undetected sexual offenses "confessed by first-time convicts".
4)But Ohio Northern University criminologist Keith Durkin points to anonymous surveys in which sex offenders "admit to as many undetected offenses as the number for which they have been caught". He views 50% as a "conservative" estimate for recidivism.
5)Young, violent offenders who suffer from mental illness, use alcohol or drugs and target very young victims "outside their family" pose the biggest risk.
kinda blows that 1994 RSOL 2-5% BS right out the window Uh?

For a better perspective look at some of RSOL's members:
Paul Shannon (teacher & peace educator)Friend and supporter of Paul Shanley, a former priest convicted for raping young boys.

French Wall (editor) NAMBLA defender
Jacqueline Sparling (writer, criminal-justice activist, professor) aka Jackie Sparling - Wife of Donald Sparling, RSO; conspired with another pedophile to lure a 13 year old to New York, with the intention of making her a sex slave and impregnating her.
Thomas W. Robinson (writer) RSO - Lewd act on child; victim was a 1 (one) year old girl

Cheryl Sartain (real estate broker) Wife of sex offender, Alvin Sartain, convicted of 38 counts of sexual assault and incest. He raped her 9 year old daughter, and Cheryl hid with him from the police.

Madeline Kockler (registered nurse, mother of sex offender) Kenneth Kockler - RSO, convicted of sexual battery and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, for molesting a young teenager; then was charged for rape, aggravated sexual battery and attempted forcible sodomy in 2003 for molesting an even younger child. He is a former Middle School teacher.
Liz Joroszynski (mother of internet sex offender) John Joroszynski RSO - Convicted of traveling for intent to have sex with 10-year-old child

Rev. Dr. C. David Hess (pastor) RSO - Attempt possession of child pornography
Think about it? Do you want the wive's, sister's, girlfriends, mothers, fathers of these freaks making social policy on this Issue? I dont think so. In their eyes, any repercussions to these misfits is a social injustice, but behind closed doors?? RSOL is a conglomerate of deviants and or their pillow partners and family members who want to appear mainstream..

ROSL Uncovered, thank you Sleuth Parkhurst!! Standing O to you...Nice work. I have always believed the recidivism rates that these types pimp to us are distorted. In fact, when you get to know enough law enforcement (i.e., correctional officers), they will validate that the average Sex Crimer is back in jail with a long rap sheet.

In the last 4 days the number of Convicted sex offenders re-arrested for new sexual crimes would indicate that these guys must have coupons in their pockets to re-offend. Its mindboggling how RSOL can perpetrate the "low recidivism BS" that they do. It has become woefully apparent that re-integration into society is not working. The NEW crop of victims is an indicator that the closer we allow this sub culture of offenders closer to our families the more dangerous to the public they truly are. Whats even more apparent is the women who ingratiate their children to these offenders are serving their kids up buffet style to these people and handing them a fork to feed with. We know sex offenders need a list, but I am coming to a very certain conclusion that the women who defend them and or sleeping with them need their own registry also..

SORNA Bill to be heard at rise tomorrow the 11th in the Finance Committee.

Maybe Suzaane is one of them women in the past who had lied to a man & had intercourse. Now this man faces serious issues with SORNA. Moral point is most sex offences are punshied without a jury or even evidence. Your word against thers. Just another John Walsh who was not paying attention in a department store. Violent Sex Offenders, murders, & child molesters who molest childeren under 13 should be watched. Not some guy who urinated on a wall, or a guy who wrestled with a young girl who knew right from wrong in the first place. Teens can pick up a gun & blow someones brains out & they can lie. If you dont want your children harmed, then stop messing around, & watch them closely. You paid your debt to society you should be a free man until convicted again. The registry is Unconstitutional. Ohio was the first to adopt it, & having serious issues until this day. I am a registered sex offender under a M3 in the state of Ohio 'cause I wrestled with a girl 13 years younger than me at the time. I amdited to accsidently touching her left breast. The cops tried accusing for more. So, I wanted the rape kit done, & the polygraph done. The girls family didn't. The judge found me guilty, served two years of probabtion, paid 800 bucks in court fines, & no plea bargain. Now I am a sex offender for 15 years under a Tier 1. I hope to God this ever happens to you or anyone else. Its harsher than you think.