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Georgia High Court Tosses Sex Offender Law

By Jeralyn, Section Court Decisions
Posted on Wed Nov 21, 2007 at 03:52:37 PM EST
Tags: sex offenders (all tags)
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Good news from Georgia.

Georgia's top court overturned a state law Wednesday that banned registered sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of schools, churches and other areas where children congregate.

"It is apparent that there is no place in Georgia where a registered sex offender can live without being continually at risk of being ejected," read the unanimous opinion, written by presiding Justice Carol Hunstein.

The Southern Center for Human Rights has been instrumental in fighting this law. Background on the law is here.

The text of the opinion is here (pdf.) The sex offender statute is here (pdf.)

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    Georgia High Court Tosses Sex Offender Law | 6 comments (6 topical)
    Oh good (none / 0) (#1)
    by Jen M on Wed Nov 21, 2007 at 05:03:55 PM EST
    that law was unreasonable.

    ga sex offender law (none / 0) (#2)
    by kem on Wed Nov 21, 2007 at 11:47:13 PM EST
    Ga failed it's children today. I do not care if these nasty minded adults have a place to live or not if Ga was doing what it should have done when they got caught they would have a place to live..It's called prison. but No what does GA do over turn a ruling because its unconstitutional.
    WHATS UNCONSTITUTIONAL? telling child molesters and rapist you can't live a normal life because you are sick and twisted? does it actually matter if they feel threatened? did their victims feel threatened and mistreated? these people never  lived a normal life anyway and by the statistics they won't ever because they will always fight the urge of doing it again so..good job GA. move them next door to us.

    kem, (none / 0) (#3)
    by cpinva on Thu Nov 22, 2007 at 12:35:48 AM EST
    why don't you tell us how you really feel? don't hold it in.

    you realize, don't you, that not all registered sex offenders are pedophiles? in fact, i dare say the majority aren't. the 17 year-old convicted of statutory rape, for having consensual sex with his 16 year-old g/f, is a registered sex offender. i could go on, but you get my point.

    don't get me wrong, i have no use for pedophiles, and the current medical wisdom says there is no cure. but, to assume all registered sex offenders are pedophiles, displays an astonishing degree of ignorance.

    Ga sex offenders and pedophiles (none / 0) (#5)
    by kem on Mon Nov 26, 2007 at 11:46:46 PM EST
    your right all sex offenders are not pedophiles and yes all pedophiles are sex offenders..Its surely not ignorance on my part i didn't log on to school anyone...I believe that different crimes deserve different punishments and until they figure out how to do that these people shouldn't be living next door.  my town has about 50 registered sex offenders which isn't much compared to other cities and the people around me have been here for years so i'm not concerned about them moving around me however, the news is full of these crimes everynight and i'm sick of hearing it and for GA to go backwards with punishing these people...is crazy!

    Parent
    this is why (none / 0) (#4)
    by Jgarza on Thu Nov 22, 2007 at 02:16:00 AM EST
    I love your blog! just keep giving us the facts its obvious these laws make no sense.

    Pity (none / 0) (#6)
    by katmandu on Mon Jan 07, 2008 at 06:33:00 PM EST
    That law would be quite a draw for families.
    It would be nice to know that one state is against
    child molesters.
    Instead of coddling and sympathizing for all
    child molesters, perhaps there should be more
    of an effort to get stupid laws such as
    statutory rape being the same as child rape
    changed.
    Of course, manditory life in prison for real
    molestation and rape would take care of the
    problem quite nicely.  

    Georgia High Court Tosses Sex Offender Law | 6 comments (6 topical)