A few short years ago, we would never have imagined ourselves as part of an organization working for the reform of Sex Offender Laws.
 It was never our problem. We trusted our lawmakers.  We trusted the system. There are times when we wish we did not know what we know today; times when we long for that peace of mind that naiveté brings.

The RSOL of Virginia is a small group of volunteers who know firsthand that the Virginia Sex Offender Registry has become a useless list of names that the public can no longer use to decipher who is a true threat and who has simply been swept up in this Legislative Predator Hysteria.
 Dilution is Not the Solution.

Multiple crimes of varying degrees are now “Registerable” offenses.
The plain and undeniable truth is there are even innocents listed on the Virginia Registry. This is where the Sex Offender Registry has taken a strange and unjustifiable deviation from any attempt at reducing crime.
 There is a huge difference between stealing a newspaper and robbing a bank, both crimes are considered theft but both are separated by law and society; thus the penalties are proportionately different from one another. This is right and this is justice.
The current laws that stigmatize someone as a “Sex Offender or Sexual Predator” in the United States and particularly in Virginia DO NOT distinguish the difference. All are considered the same once listed; all named on the Sex Offender Registries are assumed to be a “pervert”, a “pedophile” and a “predator” and now as dangerous as Phillip Garrido, Anthony Sowell and John Gardner for life.

Our Mission is:

1) To educate the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia what offenses currently result in someone becoming a registered sex-offender.
The minimum penalty for any “sex-offense” is now 15 years on the registry and after that, you must petition the court to be removed.

These offenses include but are not limited to:

• Smacking or grabbing someone on the buttocks, groin or chest
• Consensual sex between:

• a 12 year old and a 15 ½ , 16 or 17 year old
• a 13 year old and a 16 ½ or 17 year old
• a 14 year old and a 17 ½ year old
• anyone younger than 18 and an 18 year old

Virginia Age of Consent Statutes:
http://moraloutrage.net/staticpages/index.php?page=Virginia
                                   
U.S. Ages of Consent, Age Gap Provisions and Mistake of Age Defense:
http://www.ageofconsent.us/

• Sexting, between juveniles as well as a juvenile to any 18, 19 or 20 year old boyfriend or girlfriend.

Crime Commission Refuses 'Sexting' Recommendation, December 15, 2009:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/15/AR2009121503362.html

• If you receive an unsolicited photo or video via e-mail from someone you either know or do not know and it could be considered child pornography, if you’ve mistakenly downloaded an image that could be considered child pornography, if you click on a web-site that you had no idea that contained images that could be considered child pornography or if you purchase a used computer or phone from eBay that has old child pornography that you don’t even know exists because it was deleted, what should you do?

If you delete that image, you have broken the law in Virginia as an obstruction of justice and could also be charged for possession of child pornography and labeled a Sex Offender.
If you keep that image and don’t report it, you have broken the law in Virginia and will be charged for possession of child pornography and labeled a Sex Offender
Your ONLY choice is to turn your phone or computer over to the authorities (U.S. Attorney) and pray that after an investigation that could very well result in charges being filed, a warrant being issued and a pricey lawyer needing to be hired that the state of Virginia will rule that you did not “intend” to possess the image.

• In states other than Virginia the below will result in a conviction and required registration as a “Sex Offender”.

Once this occurs if that person moves to Virginia they will also be required to register as a “Sex Offender” in Virginia too.

• Urinating in public
• Mooning
• Flashing
• Streaking or skinny dipping

 
2) To be a resource for finding the laws, restrictions and regulations as well as research data on these issues for the citizens of Virginia.
(See In Virginia Restrictions and Regulations) and (See Books, Studies and Reports)

3) To remove all young adults with consensual offenses from the registry.

4) To completely remove juveniles from the public registries.

5) To eliminate any Virginia statute that states; an accusation is sufficient to convict, no corroboration is required.

Instead, evidence and/or a witness would be required.

6) To stop the accusation (alone) from being entered as evidence in court.

7) To have the current sentencing guidelines in Virginia reduced to be more in keeping with the offense, remembering this is a state with no parole.

Each case should be judged on its own merits with a punishment that fits the crime.

8) To educate Virginians that there are differences between a non-violent and a violent offender.

Unfortunately in 2006, the Virginia General Assembly reclassified almost all non-violent offenders to violent offenses. This resulted in 90% of all Virginia offenders being reclassified as violent regardless of their offense and their sentence given by the court. This includes many of offenses that had NO physical contact.

9) To reinstate the non-violent classifications that existed prior to the 2006 Virginia General Assembly.

10) To completely remove non-violent offenders from a public Virginia registry.

11) To remove the employer/company name from public view as it serves no purpose other than to intimidate and influence the employer.

General Assembly Bill Would Remove Employer Names from Sex Offender Registry, February 16, 2010:
http://www.wtkr.com/news/wtkr-va-sex-offender-bill-change,0,5941056.story

Bill Protects Employers of Sex Offenders, February 15, 2010:
http://www.vagazette.com/articles/2010/02/15/news/doc4b7958701d8c3651100894.txt

12) To eliminate the retro-active approach to laws passed in Virginia in regards to court classifications, requirements and restrictions upon the registered.

If it wasn’t a law at the time of the conviction, then it does not apply today.

Ex post facto.

We contend this to be unconstitutional in that the registry subjects the convicted to be continually resentenced for a crime that they’ve already paid for.

13) To require notification of new and revised laws that will affect all registered sex offenders.

Either through, the mail, e-mail, in person during one of the two Sex Offender Task Force surprise home visits or noted on the Virginia State Police web-site.

This notification should take place at least two months before the new law begins.

Sex Offenders, Advocates Push for Va. Law Notice, May 15, 2010: Http://WWW.washingtonpost.Com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/15/AR2010051501870.HTML

14) To remove the residency restrictions of the registered.

In Virginia it’s currently 500 ft. from schools, day care centers, recreation centers and parks that share a border with a school for the four worst crimes.

No other laws stipulate when and where you can reside in the United States.

Residency Restrictions have been proven to do more harm than good.
(See Books, Studies and Reports)

Bill Further Restricts Sex Offenders, February 14, 2010:
http://www.roanoke.com/politics/wb/236500

Bill Aims to Limit Where Sex Offenders Can Live, February 15, 2010:
http://hamptonroads.com/2010/02/bill-aims-limit-where-sex-offenders-can-live

Bill: More Limits for Sex Offenders, January 21, 2010:
http://www.winchesterstar.com/pages/view/offenders.html

15) To revoke the current Virginia statute that gives the accuser only 21 days to recant in which an unjust conviction and punishment could be overturned.

There should be no deadline on justice or the truth.

Even though former Virginia Attorney General Mary Sue Terry stated while serving the Commonwealth, "Evidence of innocence is irrelevant, they call it finality of judgment."

16) To charge any person or persons committing a crime or discriminating against a person listed on the registry solely due to the listing as a “Hate Crime” punishable to the full extent of the law.

17) To return civil commitment of Sexually Violent Predators in Virginia to the 4 original crimes in 2006 instead of today’s 28 crimes. This has increased SVP-eligible inmates by 350%.

Teenagers that had consensual sex with an underage girlfriend or boyfriend should NEVER be classified an SVP and to be civilly committed for life in an insane asylum for the sexual perverse.

This is not who civil commitment was suppose to include.

18) To return the Static 99 score to civilly commit in the State of Virginia to the recommended score of “6” or even a “5” by those who developed the test.

Today Virginia commits with a score of “4” and there have been discussions at the Virginia Crime Commission that the Attorney General’s office would like to drop it to a “3”.

19) To ultimately remove the stigma associated with one being on the Sex Offender Registry as a point of consideration as opposed to condemnation.

We can not succeed without your involvement.
The current laws and trends towards fear and loathing is not the direction in which we or our forefathers envisioned.
We were all guaranteed the right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness and no one shall stand in its way.
Join us in righting these wrongs.
Join us in Seeking Justice and Safety for All Virginians.

RSOL of Virginia strives to provide accurate and current information to the citizens of Virginia.
We do not claim to be a legal resource. Always consult with an Attorney and the Virginia State Police (804) 674-2825 where needed.
We at RSOL of Virginia do not in any way condone the sexual abuse of anyone in anyway, shape, or form.
We support appropriate punishment and treatment for offenders based on their individual case.       
We support the reform of many of the statutes that currently require registration, that an accusation alone is sufficient to convict, prosecution for “Sexting” between teens and young adults, prison time and the requirement to register for consensual acts between teens and young adults, the retroactive approach to applying new laws, the increases in offender classifications by Legislators, the harsher compliancy penalties than the original conviction, the total computer and internet banishment for those whose crimes were not computer related and all residency restrictions.
We support reform of the sex offender registries so that the public can be aware of the presence of truly dangerous, untreatable and repeat offenders while allowing the majority of offenders to re-enter society and become productive citizens that can secure housing, employment, participate in their families lives and live without fear of community threats or retaliation.
The RSOL of Virginia is an independent group as of December 2009. When we originally formed in October 2008, we were the state affiliate for Reform Sex Offender Laws.org
Unfortunately we had to make the difficult decision to break away from National RSOL due to differences in opinion. We wish RSOL National and all their state affiliates well in this very important cause, to REFORM Americas Sex Offender Registries.