He has a local angle as well as posts about relevant national topics regarding SO's issues, laws and other RSO's.
Showing posts with label Massachusetts sex offender. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Massachusetts sex offender. Show all posts
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Westford (MA) rep's sex-offender bill gets boost: Calls for online posting of Level 2 or above
The man whose actions spurred this legislative proposal was a Level 1 offender working at his wife's illegal daycare. Neither is specifically addressed in Rep. Arciero's proposal, but rather "...the discussion of Level 1 offenders is not thrown out the window."
BOSTON -- The House of Representatives took a major step toward making information about Level 2 sex offenders available online Wednesday when the Ways and Means Committee added a provision that would do so to the 2014 budget bill.
Rep. James Arciero, D-Westford, has been leading the push to make information about Level 2 offenders available online for several years now. Last year a bill he filed to do so was reported favorably out of the Judiciary Committee.
That bill was never voted on, though, since the legislative session ended two days after the Judiciary Committee approved it.
Passing a standalone bill may not be necessary now since the provision was added to the budget with support from Speaker Robert DeLeo.
The overall budget bill will now be subject to amendments before a final vote in the House, so the provision could still be removed, though it appears to have broad support in the House. Arciero's standalone bill had 36 co-sponsors.
It was not immediately clear how much support the proposal has in the Senate, though Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, has expressed support for the idea.
Information about Level 3 sex offenders is available online, but information about Level 2 offenders is only available to those who visit their local police departments. Information about Level 1 offenders is available only to police and a few other government agencies.
Rep. Stephen DiNatale, D-Fitchburg, is one of the co-sponsors of Arciero's bill, and he said the move by the Ways and Means Committee puts the proposal on a solid path to become law.
"I think this has great potential to go all the way and have the governor sign it," DiNatale said.
Gov. Deval Patrick has already expressed support for making information about Level 2 sex offenders available online.
Such a move would bring the state closer to compliance with the federal "Adam Walsh Act," or Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, which calls for information on all levels of sex offenders to be public.
If the provision passes and such information is posted online, the state could become eligible for about $600,000 per year in federal grant funding, according to Arciero and Laurie Myers, of Chelmsford, who has supported the idea. Myers is the president of Community Voices, a victim's rights organization.
Myers and Arciero also support making information about Level 1 sex offenders available online, but that proposal has not been the subject of public hearings or the amount of debate as the proposal for Level 2 offenders.
Arciero and Myers said that proposal is still on their agenda.
"The discussion about Level ones is not thrown out the window," Arciero said. "We still need to have that discussion."
Myers applauded both Arciero and the Ways and Means Committee for moving forward with the proposal.
"This is great news," she said. "The Massachusetts House of Representatives is to be commended on recognizing the dangers posed by sex offenders to the citizens of Massachusetts and the rights of law-abiding citizens to know who is living their vicinity and the potential dangerousness of these individuals to individuals and family, and especially to children."
Friday, April 12, 2013
"Society's Lepers" via CommonWealth Magazine (2012 article)
Interesting and informative article by Bruce Mohl and Christina Prignano on the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board, the process of classification, and an interview with the chair of SORB Saundra Edwards. Click the link to read the full article:
http://www.commonwealthmagazine.org/News-and-Features/Features/2012/Spring/001-Societys-lepers.aspx
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Too dangerous, too much bad press
Boston Globe article: Video Maker had sordid past, strong advocates This story has been picking up steam the past week here in Boston since the story pushes many buttons around here.
Readers Note: I don't usually publish the names of other local sex offenders on my blog but this story is very public and front page news from the regions largest newspaper.
Readers Note: I don't usually publish the names of other local sex offenders on my blog but this story is very public and front page news from the regions largest newspaper.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
A Couple of Weeks To Go...
Last week I visited the probation office for a mandatory office visit and to pay the rest of the probation fees I owe as well. The secretary counting my money found the stack to be $20.00 short, which it wasn't, but after a few recounts I officially paid off all of the fees to probation! Then the bookkeeper behind the counter said "wait, no, he owes $130.00 on top of what he just gave us". I just stayed cool and my PO went over to discuss it with her but I was kind of annoyed since the bookkeeper was the one who gave me the amount I needed to pay to have a zero balance and now she is saying I owe more. As I mentioned in a previous post, ones probation can be extended after the scheduled release date if you owe probation fees, restitution, fines, etc...Thankfully, my PO ironed things out and I owe the Commonwealth nothing more than two more weeks.
I then told my PO I wanted to also pay probation the $110.00 DNA collection fee. I paid the fee while incarcerated, the fee was refunded in 2001 due to a lawsuit, but I forgot about it until earlier this year when I was informed it wasn't paid. However, here in Massachusetts, probation doesn't handle DNA fees, the State Police does. So I then drove to the nearest post office to mail them the money order. Only problem is the State Police typically take several weeks to process your payment and to mail you a receipt. This receipt is proof to your probation/parole officer your DNA fee was paid. Unfortunately/fortunately for me, I have less than "several" weeks of probation left to serve. If I cannot get proof of payment to my PO, then they won't release me.
After calling the State Police and explaining my situation, I was informed my PO could fax a request to the State Police seeking confirmation I paid the fee about a week after I mailed in my payment. This way, I can avoid the nail biting at the mail box each morning hoping a receipt was in the mail.
I then told my PO I wanted to also pay probation the $110.00 DNA collection fee. I paid the fee while incarcerated, the fee was refunded in 2001 due to a lawsuit, but I forgot about it until earlier this year when I was informed it wasn't paid. However, here in Massachusetts, probation doesn't handle DNA fees, the State Police does. So I then drove to the nearest post office to mail them the money order. Only problem is the State Police typically take several weeks to process your payment and to mail you a receipt. This receipt is proof to your probation/parole officer your DNA fee was paid. Unfortunately/fortunately for me, I have less than "several" weeks of probation left to serve. If I cannot get proof of payment to my PO, then they won't release me.
After calling the State Police and explaining my situation, I was informed my PO could fax a request to the State Police seeking confirmation I paid the fee about a week after I mailed in my payment. This way, I can avoid the nail biting at the mail box each morning hoping a receipt was in the mail.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Anxiety Dreams
I have 38(ish) days left on probation. My papers say I'm to be released July 12 but probation says it's actually the 13th. A few weeks ago probation said their official printout indicated release was supposed to be in November-also incorrect. You really have to stay on top of things and make sure you know what probation's paperwork is telling the officers. Anyway, release day is coming up soon.
I've been trying to compare the last days of probation with the last days of incarceration. Situationally, they are different, but for me, the cognitive processes are the same. When I was incarcerated, there was always this generic rumor and fear someone was going to fuck up the end of your bid by attacking you, getting in a fight with you, snitching on you, or somehow otherwise getting you in a situation where more time would be tacked on to your sentence by forcing you to lose good-time or picking up another bid. Call it neurotic, but it was just part of wrapping up on the inside. Not that I made enemies in prison, but think about it: if you pissed off someone bad enough and he knows you're being release soon, he might just want to get to you before you leave. Never underestimate the power of grudges and of guys needing to save face in prison.
Wrapping up probation presents a different set of neuroses. My victim and his family are on the outside; would they want to get back at me somehow via lawsuit or worse? Is all of my probation paperwork in order and fees paid? Am I going to screw up on the last days of 10 years on probation? etc... I can go on. Other than having a surprise balance to pay probation, everything is fine.
In the past week, my brain has decided to incorporate some worst case scenarios into my 4am REM sleep. Some reasonable dreams and some crazy-ass dreams. My first anxiety dream revolved around a scenario where I was in a mall (danger) telling some boy I saw not to drink the water from the toxic water fountain and reflecting pool (even more dangerous to do). I then had the sinking feeling that I had violated probation by having contact with a minor without adult supervision and that I was going back to prison. Nice, right?
Another dream I have been having the past few nights revolved around me having to go in front of a judge to get released from probation. The "fun" part of this dream was the judge overseeing my case was Patty Hewes of the show "Damages" on FX - the only legal "drama" I have watched since being released (the show is totally about the characters and less so about the cases). If you know who and what Patty Hewes was like then you already understand my concern. Needless to say, in the dream she was not sympathetic toward me. Patty Hewes (played by Glenn Close) was a New York City attorney who was ruthless, relentless, homicidal about winning/losing a case, and got what she wanted most of the time. I don't remember the dialogue of the dream other than "fuck I have Patty Hewes as my judge"! Of course, she is the type of lawyer you absolutely want on retainer. So thank you Glenn Close: you have totally mind-fucked me for the past few nights! I wonder what Freud would say about all this.
Anyway, the reason why I am writing about this is to convey the fact that some of these anxieties and fears may creep up on you, haunt you, and follow you 'til the end of your incarceration or probation/parole. I hope it's normal.
I've been trying to compare the last days of probation with the last days of incarceration. Situationally, they are different, but for me, the cognitive processes are the same. When I was incarcerated, there was always this generic rumor and fear someone was going to fuck up the end of your bid by attacking you, getting in a fight with you, snitching on you, or somehow otherwise getting you in a situation where more time would be tacked on to your sentence by forcing you to lose good-time or picking up another bid. Call it neurotic, but it was just part of wrapping up on the inside. Not that I made enemies in prison, but think about it: if you pissed off someone bad enough and he knows you're being release soon, he might just want to get to you before you leave. Never underestimate the power of grudges and of guys needing to save face in prison.
Wrapping up probation presents a different set of neuroses. My victim and his family are on the outside; would they want to get back at me somehow via lawsuit or worse? Is all of my probation paperwork in order and fees paid? Am I going to screw up on the last days of 10 years on probation? etc... I can go on. Other than having a surprise balance to pay probation, everything is fine.
In the past week, my brain has decided to incorporate some worst case scenarios into my 4am REM sleep. Some reasonable dreams and some crazy-ass dreams. My first anxiety dream revolved around a scenario where I was in a mall (danger) telling some boy I saw not to drink the water from the toxic water fountain and reflecting pool (even more dangerous to do). I then had the sinking feeling that I had violated probation by having contact with a minor without adult supervision and that I was going back to prison. Nice, right?
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| Do Not Even Think About Fucking With Me, Sex Offender! |
Another dream I have been having the past few nights revolved around me having to go in front of a judge to get released from probation. The "fun" part of this dream was the judge overseeing my case was Patty Hewes of the show "Damages" on FX - the only legal "drama" I have watched since being released (the show is totally about the characters and less so about the cases). If you know who and what Patty Hewes was like then you already understand my concern. Needless to say, in the dream she was not sympathetic toward me. Patty Hewes (played by Glenn Close) was a New York City attorney who was ruthless, relentless, homicidal about winning/losing a case, and got what she wanted most of the time. I don't remember the dialogue of the dream other than "fuck I have Patty Hewes as my judge"! Of course, she is the type of lawyer you absolutely want on retainer. So thank you Glenn Close: you have totally mind-fucked me for the past few nights! I wonder what Freud would say about all this.
Anyway, the reason why I am writing about this is to convey the fact that some of these anxieties and fears may creep up on you, haunt you, and follow you 'til the end of your incarceration or probation/parole. I hope it's normal.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
The Relapse Prevention Plan: Its Role In Sex Offender Counseling and Sex Offender Registry Board Petitions
Relapse Prevention Plan (RPP): If you are unfamiliar with this tool, a summary of the elements of a RPP is can be found here:
http://www.sexoffenderresource.com/relapse-prevention-plan/
Every sex offender therapy counselor/group is different in its approach. Some are very structured and have workbooks and homework while others rely more on the organic process of group therapy, working things out verbally. No matter the approach, the goal is the same: getting you to understand why you did what you did and help you to prevent reoffending. To this end, the single most important document you will work on and want to leave counseling with is the relapse prevention plan.
A RPP has two very important functions: first, the RPP serves as a cognitive guide to help you, the counselor, and the group gain a better understanding of your psychology, your offense, the circumstances surrounding your offense, and how to recognize patterns and warning signs to head off maladaptive thoughts and behaviors which can lead to reoffending. Initially, you will work intensively on the RPP, a document you are never completely done with. I suggest really listening to others when they speak and convey their own stories and struggles. There are undercurrents and themes many offenders share that you will recognize within yourself and can easily incorporate into your RPP. Being an active participant and paying attention will help you become a more sophisticated and reflective group member, thereby helping to create a more productive, safe, and successful group and, ultimately, your RPP will benefit from being as complete and insightful as possible.
The second important function of the RPP is it's role in your sex offender classification/reclassification. At some point, whether you are designated as a Level 1, Level 2, Or Level 3, you will want to lower you risk level or even petition to be released from the duty to register as a sex offender. As the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board puts it when considering factors for reclassification:
Here is the link to view the .PDF document: Motion for Reclassification is 1.37C (page 4.23) and the quoted text for Factor 11 is 1.40 (page 4.20)
This "additional consideration" is a good thing. As I mentioned in this blog before, the board need information with which to make a decision. It likes to get as much information as possible. You can have great letters from family, friends, and employers, supporting and attesting to the life you are now living, which the board does want. However, they are not trained experts the board looks toward for expert opinion and testimony regarding your "dangerousness". Information from your counselor, including the RPP, gives the board much needed professional and personal insight into your treatment and progress since offending. Leaving out a detailed RPP document is a glaring omission, one you want to avoid. Just think: if you were on the board looking at a RPP-less petition, you would probably err on the side of caution and not lower his risk level since you want to know that the petitioner thoroughly understand his offense and offending cycle and isn't continuing to attribute his offense to alcohol and drugs, for example. Besides, you don't want to give any member of the board one more reason to deny your petition. At this writing, The Commonwealth only allows you to petition for relcassification every 3 years, so you want to be complete and do it right the first time around.
http://www.sexoffenderresource.com/relapse-prevention-plan/
Every sex offender therapy counselor/group is different in its approach. Some are very structured and have workbooks and homework while others rely more on the organic process of group therapy, working things out verbally. No matter the approach, the goal is the same: getting you to understand why you did what you did and help you to prevent reoffending. To this end, the single most important document you will work on and want to leave counseling with is the relapse prevention plan.
A RPP has two very important functions: first, the RPP serves as a cognitive guide to help you, the counselor, and the group gain a better understanding of your psychology, your offense, the circumstances surrounding your offense, and how to recognize patterns and warning signs to head off maladaptive thoughts and behaviors which can lead to reoffending. Initially, you will work intensively on the RPP, a document you are never completely done with. I suggest really listening to others when they speak and convey their own stories and struggles. There are undercurrents and themes many offenders share that you will recognize within yourself and can easily incorporate into your RPP. Being an active participant and paying attention will help you become a more sophisticated and reflective group member, thereby helping to create a more productive, safe, and successful group and, ultimately, your RPP will benefit from being as complete and insightful as possible.
The second important function of the RPP is it's role in your sex offender classification/reclassification. At some point, whether you are designated as a Level 1, Level 2, Or Level 3, you will want to lower you risk level or even petition to be released from the duty to register as a sex offender. As the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board puts it when considering factors for reclassification:
Factor 11: Currently in Sex Offender-Specific Treatment
...(c)...Offenders who actively participate in treatment voluntarily...and those who provide a full written copy of their relapse prevention plan, approved by their treatment provider, may receive additional consideration relative to their level of risk to reoffend and/or the degree of dangerousness they pose to public safety.
This "additional consideration" is a good thing. As I mentioned in this blog before, the board need information with which to make a decision. It likes to get as much information as possible. You can have great letters from family, friends, and employers, supporting and attesting to the life you are now living, which the board does want. However, they are not trained experts the board looks toward for expert opinion and testimony regarding your "dangerousness". Information from your counselor, including the RPP, gives the board much needed professional and personal insight into your treatment and progress since offending. Leaving out a detailed RPP document is a glaring omission, one you want to avoid. Just think: if you were on the board looking at a RPP-less petition, you would probably err on the side of caution and not lower his risk level since you want to know that the petitioner thoroughly understand his offense and offending cycle and isn't continuing to attribute his offense to alcohol and drugs, for example. Besides, you don't want to give any member of the board one more reason to deny your petition. At this writing, The Commonwealth only allows you to petition for relcassification every 3 years, so you want to be complete and do it right the first time around.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Less Than 6 Months of Probation Left: Some Things You Should Be Doing
As I enter the last months of my 10 years on probation, I thought it important to mention some of the things you should do to ensure a smooth, trouble free transition away from any type of supervision. A little bit of planning and proactivity can save you from trouble and receiving extra time on probation.
Recently, I spoke with an attorney in Boston who said an all too common reason a probationer is not released from probation is because he hasn't paid money owed. This debt may include probation supervision fees, court fees, DNA fees, vicitim restitution, paying for victim counseling, etc... You name it. Whatever probation believe you owe, you owe. Come your release day, if you owe money you won't be set free from probation until it's all paid off. Even if you think you aren't in arrears, ask the probation office to do an audit on your account around 6 months before release to give you time to pay up, perform community service in lieu of cash payments, or dispute charges if need be.
Another suggestion is to scour your probation contract for what conditions you are required to complete or satisfy. Besides paying many fees, you could be required to "complete" sex offender therapy, Alcoholics Anonymous, Anger Management, and other programs. Be sure to know what "completing" means to the probation department. Probation (and the courts) idea of of having completed a program may not be the same as what the particular program considers to be "completed" or "graduated". In fact, these days here in Middlesex County a sex offender on probation who graduated from all phases of treatment cannot simply stop going to treatment. One has to be in "maintenance" treatment while on probation. Furthermore, what maintenance treatment is varies between providers. Unfortunately, not much is standardized in the treatment provider community. It wouldn't hurt to go over your probation contract with your probation officer so you are both on the same page.
And if you think you can and/or should stop attending treatment after you are released from probation, you might want to reconsider. For example, if at any point in the future you plan on appealing your dangerousness level to the Sex Offender Registry Board (SORB), it behooves you to continue maintenance treatment after release from any supervision. Significant gaps of time where your well being and behavior cannot be accounted for could work against you since the SORB has no recent information or testimonials from treatment providers to take into account. At the same time, seeing a therapist several times a year might be good insurance and good for you in the event you encounter problems or if you know you function and live better under a therapists supervision.
And if you think you can and/or should stop attending treatment after you are released from probation, you might want to reconsider. For example, if at any point in the future you plan on appealing your dangerousness level to the Sex Offender Registry Board (SORB), it behooves you to continue maintenance treatment after release from any supervision. Significant gaps of time where your well being and behavior cannot be accounted for could work against you since the SORB has no recent information or testimonials from treatment providers to take into account. At the same time, seeing a therapist several times a year might be good insurance and good for you in the event you encounter problems or if you know you function and live better under a therapists supervision.
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As someone who is about 15 years on from my offense, what concerns me is the incorrect and baseless public belief of perpetual dangerousness for all who have committed a sex offense against a minor, that I'm always on the cusp of reoffending against another child if I were put in an opportune position for a moment. Those who work with sex offenders and know the research and literature know this simply is not the case and that level of dangerousness is only pertinent to a fractional percentage of sex offenders. Yeah, Mr. Benjamin was being risky by working around minors in some fashion - being risky more so with his career rather than re-offendeing (its been reported on thebostonchannel.com 90% of his time was spent with graduate students). His story is a not-so secret fear of and a cautionary tale for many registered sex offenders who rehabilitate and work to create a new, happy and prosperous life for themselves. I hope that Mr. Benjamin avoids the social and professional death that can come with this recent attention, carrying on with a life and career in Boston he rebuilt with the help of others. We should all want any type of offender to rehabilitate, reintegrate, and lead happy, productive and healthy lives, contributing to the community in which we live.