Searching for Interview Subjects … As a researcher for Human Rights Watch, I am conducting a nationwide investigation into the harmful impact of including children in sex offender registration and notification laws. The Human Rights Watch report will document the harms of including children in such laws by featuring first-person testimony of child registrants, their families, and experts from around the country. For purposes of this study, “Child Registrants” is defined as; 1.
Individuals subject to sex offender registration for offenses allegedly committed as a child. A “child” is defined as anyone under the age of 18 who have been adjudicated delinquent or convicted as an adult of a sex offense. a. “Subject to Registration” includes those who; Are actively registering (public or non-public) were subjected to registration or notification laws but successfully petitioned to get off the registry Were subject to registration and notification laws but aged out of the juvenile justice system and no longer are required to register.
Additionally, the report will be used to raise questions about the legal and policy rationales of subjecting youth offenders to registration and will seek to influence lawmakers to exclude all youth offenders from such requirements. Three general policy concerns that will be explored are: First, the laws can be overbroad in scope and overlong in duration, requiring child offenders to register who pose no safety risk. Second, given the easy public access to online sex offender registries, registrants may be subjected to public humiliation, harassment, and violence. In certain cultural or religious communities, the registration requirements can harm a young person’s ability to practice their religion or enjoy their cultural rights. Third, residency restrictions can have the effect of banishing registrants from entire geographical areas, forcing them to live far from their homes and families. The risk of public humiliation, family separation, and de facto community banishment can be particularly harmful for youth, including by harming the mental health and developmental progress of youth. Some of the more specific issues I would like to highlight include but are not limited to the following categories; 1.
Individuals registering as children facing immigration consequences and possible deportation;
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Individuals forced to register because they moved to Florida from another state;
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Individuals registering as children with housing issues because of Zoning restrictions, residency restrictions and housing restrictions. Forced homelessness is of particular concern;
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Individuals registering as children with access to education and school issues because of zoning restrictions or local ordinances;
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Individuals registering as children with employment issues because of zoning restrictions or other ordinances; and
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Individuals registering as children who have felt added depression, isolated or treated unfairly because of their registration status.
Interviews with a wide variety of people from the above-listed categories is essential to the success of this investigation and publication of findings. Every interviewee will have the right to refuse participation and / or to provide information confidentially. All subjects will remain confidential. Names and identities will not be revealed in the publication. Please contact me by email with the name and contact information of the potential interviewees. If the subject is homeless or does not have access to email or phone, please contact me so we can discuss alternate ways to reach out to them. My contact information is listed below;
NICOLE PITTMAN, ESQ. Soros Senior Justice Advocacy Fellow | HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH 1441 Sansom Street #729 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102 Tel: 267.765.6766 | Fax: 267.765.6981 | Email: pittman@hrw.org
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