USA FAIR's exhibit at the National Conference of State Legislatures in Atlanta, Georgia was well received by state representatives from throughout the country - allowing hundreds of contacts over the three-day event.
Executive Director Shana Rowan was joined by Gail Colletta, President of the Florida Action Committee and Caution Click, in staffing USA FAIR's table. Reform advocates from Women Against the Registry, RSOL, SOSEN, Illinois Voices for Reform and Texas Voices conducted similar outreach at a nearby exhibit - providing double coverage to the largest annual gathering of state legislators.
Shana and Gail reported that legislators very much appreciated the information we provided on low sex offender recidivism, the ineffectiveness of residency restrictions, the harm that the registry inflicts upon the family members of registrants - as well as a host of other issues, including the Adam Walsh Act, juvenile offenders, and the public registry.
Many expressed strong interest in learning more about evidence-based policies that can do a better job at protecting the public than current laws, which several legislators acknowledged were emotionally driven.
According to Shana, "The presence of sex offender law reform advocates at this national conference represents a maturing of our movement, but it is just a beginning. State organizers need to continue their work in their respective states and we need to be back at this conference next year and every year until we have reason-based laws from coast to coast."
USA FAIR wishes to thank all of its donors who made attending this conference possible. Source: USA Fair
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