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What are sex offender registries?

On Behalf of | Feb 24, 2017 | Federal Crimes |

 

Though it is a term you have likely heard of before, you may wonder what a sex offender registry is. Sex offender registries are essentially a database that contains information about convicted sex offenders and is maintained by law enforcement to monitor and track sex offenders. In addition, some of the information is made public. Registration requirements, what information is made available to the public and other considerations are dictated by state laws.

Individuals convicted of certain sex crimes and sex crimes against children are typically required to register in the community they are being released into following release. Registrants are required to keep their registrations current and may be required to register annually. Failure to meet registration requirements can lead to separate criminal charges. A variety of personal details may be required as part of the registration process.

The National Sex Offender Registry public website provides access to the sex offender registries of all 50 states, the District of Columbia and more. Sex offense accusations and charges have the potential to threaten the professional and personal lives of an accused individual. In addition, the potential penalties and consequences associated with sex offense crimes are serious and can impact the freedom and future of the accused individual. As a result, defending yourself against sex offense allegations should not be taken lightly.

There are a variety of methods for challenging criminal charges that are part of an overall criminal defense strategy. It is of utmost importance that individuals accused of a sex crime understand all of their legal options and the protections available to help them.

Source: Criminal.findlaw.com, “The Sex Offender Registry: What You Need To Know,” Accessed Feb. 22, 2017