Partner James H. Maynard: Executive Director of USA FAIR

The managing partner of our New Jersey law firm – James H. Maynard, Esq. – has been named Executive Director of a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to educating the public on issues related to sex offender registries.  USA FAIR, Inc. is a group of people that recognizes that some sex offender registries, while well-intentioned, produce harmful consequences.

James’s address to USA FAIR members reads:

The issue of sexual abuse is laden with complexity and emotional intensity. For decades, the public policy and legal measures enacted to prevent sexual abuse have been clouded by misinformation and fear. However, the science and data now available make it indisputably clear that the political and legal architecture designed to confront and prevent sexual abuse is ineffective.

Responsible people cannot ignore the proof that our country’s current approach to the protection of society from sexual abuse has failed. An honest assessment of the evidence also confirms that the sexual abuse prevention policies now in place have been devastating to the lives of persons with a sex offense history, and limit the ability of those individuals to safely and successfully reintegrate into society. Simply put, the present body of law and policy designed to prevent sexual abuse neither protects society, nor successfully reintegrates former offenders into society. This situation is unacceptable, and demands action. Reform is no longer optional; rather, it is an affirmative obligation of citizens and lawmakers. What is needed is a new set of law and policy initiatives that will actually work to prevent sexual abuse, and to rehabilitate citizens with a sex offense history.

The prevention of sexual abuse is the mission of USA FAIR. This goal will be accomplished by formulating and organizing a 5-year national sexual abuse prevention initiative, called “Sexual Abuse Ends Now” (SAEN). As described in the SAEN initiative proposal:

The SAEN initiative proposes a major, cross-disciplinary, inter- organizational effort to craft and adopt a broad-based, public policy and legislative initiative. The SAEN initiative will prioritize the prevention of sexual abuse as a matter of public health policy. The SAEN initiative will also advocate the concept of “rehabilitation in the interest of public safety,” which emphasizes successful reintegration into society of persons with a sex offense history as an effective method to deter recidivism.

I am elated at the opportunity to contribute to the worthy cause of USA FAIR. However, I proceed with the humility that this important and difficult issue demands, and with a sincere request for the assistance of all who have the will and ability to make a contribution of any kind toward the goal of ending sexual abuse now.

If you are interested in reading the rest of James’s remarks, please follow this link to the USA FAIR, Inc. website.