Hello and welcome back. In this two part series we’re discussing a very controversial issue – whether or not convicted sex offenders in Michigan really have any rights. The law says they do, but the reality is that they are stripped of many of their most basic rights the moment they set foot outside the prison walls. Seriously.
So what gives? What rights do they really have, and how can being a sex offender in Michigan be harder than being convicted of any other type of crime? Oh boy, get ready because we’re about to knock your socks off with with a few little truth bombs. (And if you didn’t read the previous article, you should take a sec to get caught up first!)
The lives of ‘free’ convicted sex offenders are very hampered.
As we explained before, there are many ways the state of Michigan makes things like parenting and attending school that much harder for convicted sex offenders, but that’s not all…
As a traveler:
- Going on vacation can be a major challenge if you’ve been convicted of a sex crime in Michigan. For example, if you plan on being away from home for more than seven days, you have to report your vacation plans to the Michigan State Police within three days of making them. And where you go matters too. If your family rents an Airbnb house for a week and you don’t report your destination (or if the house happens to be within 1,000 feet of a school) you could end up in trouble with the law.
- Registered sex offenders in Michigan can travel to other states in the U.S. on vacation. But if you’re on parole or probation, leaving the state without permission of your probation agent will result in a lot of trouble. Also, you may need to register with the state you are travelling to before you get there. Some states require convicted sex offenders to register with local law enforcement while you’re there.
- Also, international travel can be much harder, and in some cases impossible if you’ve been convicted of a sex crime. Many countries don’t let known felons cross their borders, and if the felony in question is a sex crime, they’re even less likely to let you in! Also, under Federal law, a registered sex offender is required to notify law enforcement 21 days before any international travel, no matter what length of time they plan to be away.
As a member of your community:
- People labeled as sex offenders are treated really badly by the general public. Many lose their jobs, get evicted, are threatened with death and are harassed by their neighbors. Some have even had their homes burned down, or been assaulted in acts of vigilantism. Because the public Michigan Sex Offender Registry makes your status as a sex offender public, anyone and everyone can find out the details of your criminal history, and then punish you for it.
- Once you’ve been convicted of a sex crime and put on the sex offender registry, you’ve got a lot less freedoms. You have to report your social media profiles to the state cops. You have to tell them about all of your email accounts. You have to let them know when you change jobs, which car you drive, and where you live. And as if that violation of your privacy isn’t tough enough, your neighbors all know you’re a sex offender because all your info is available online.
Don’t let a sex crime conviction rob you of your privacy!
Being convicted of a sex crime in Michigan is one of the fastest ways to lose your rights and your privacy, and become a pariah in your community. So if we can make a recommendation to all of our readers, it would be this: If you’re charged in Michigan with a sex crime, fight it with every weapon available to you! And that’s where we come in. From Grand Rapids to Ann Arbor to Midland to Saginaw, we can help you.