Citizens Reform Group

Our Mission Statement

Citizens Reform Group is an unincorporated nonprofit association (California registration #10030) which promotes and advocates the protection of RSOs (registered sex offenders) civil rights throughout California. We will expand to other states as resources permit.

The primary purpose and objectives of the organization is:

	Defense of RSOs human and civil rights secured by law with an emphasis on housing, employment, education, travel, health care and parental rights.
	Elimination of prejudice and discrimination of RSOs.
	Education of RSOs regarding their rights and responsibilities under the law which are always changing with new legislation and court decisions.

It is important to understand that we do not condone or excuse any form of sexual abuse, sexual assault or any type of criminal conduct. We do not make excuses for former offenders or their offense.

We do, however, believe that even RSOs remain citizens. We believe that once an offender is released from incarceration he or she should only be subjected to laws which are fair and reasonable rather than unnecessarily harsh and based upon emotion and false assumptions.

Too often laws affecting RSOs are ill-advised, poorly written knee-jerk emotional reactions which have unintended consequences. Such laws include the Iowa version of Jessica's Law which even the Iowa association of county prosecutors who once advocated for the law now want that law changed because of its unintended consequences. Even CALCASA ( California Coalition Against Sexual Assault), which is a coalition of rape crisis centers and sexual assault prevention programs, has said that the California version of Jessica's Law is

"a short-sighted approach to sex offender management that will place California communities in greater danger."

CALCASA opposed the residency restrictions and GPS monitoring provisions of Jessica's Law and wrote a position paper criticizing Jessica's Law.

Jessica's Law is not the only law affecting RSOs which goes too far. Given the political climate and the ever changing laws affecting RSOs, Citizens Reform Group publishes a monthly newsletter Knowledge Is Power: Our Rights In These Times which will help RSOs stay informed of their rights and responsibilities under the law.

If you want to be informed of legislation which affects RSOs, or if you want to support Citizens Reform Group, subscribe to our monthly newsletter Knowledge Is Power: Our Rights In These Times. 51% of net proceeds from our newsletter subscriptions are used to support our programs which promote and advocate for RSOs civil rights and to pay attorney fees and other expenses incurred by making legal challenges (as resources permit) to laws negatively impacting RSOs throughout California.