Jessica Pishko \/ The Appeal – On November 19, 2009, Brittany Passalacqua and her mother, Helen Buchel, were found brutally murdered, slashed multiple times with a boxcutter, in their Geneva, New York, home. Prosecutors charged John Brown, Buchel\u2019s boyfriend at the time, with the two murders and won the case.<\/p>\n
Buchel\u2019s family members say they were unaware of Brown\u2019s criminal history, which included a conviction for injuring his baby daughter in 2003. After their daughter\u2019s murder, Buchel\u2019s family began to organize for a new registry for New York State, one that would track people convicted of domestic violence-related felonies. Since 2011, the New York State Legislature has considered the proposal\u2014called Brittany\u2019s Law\u2014and every year, including this one, it has failed to pass. Yet, Buchel\u2019s family is undeterred.<\/p>\n
While public sex offender registries are now required by federal law, other registries for people who have committed certain types of crimes\u2014such as domestic violence or drug-related crimes\u2014are on the rise. They are seen by some victims\u2019 rights advocates as a way to protect the community. But, criminal justice advocates argue that the registries are just another way to assert control over people who have already served their time. With registries, the collateral consequences of incarceration can extend indefinitely.<\/p>\n