Accessing Information in the Arkansas Sex Offender Registry

In accordance with Arkansas state law under Section 12-12-901 through Section 12-12-920, all sex offenders living in Arkansas must register with the state. The Sex Offender Registration Act, which came into effect in 1997, lists the qualifying offenses and describes the criteria for an individual to be registered as a sex offender. According to this law, an offender who is found guilty of committing a Level 3 sexual offense or committing a sexual crime against a minor must register.

Sex offenders who have been released due to insanity or mental illness are not exempt from registration. Those on parole or probation, and those carrying out community service, must also be registered. In addition, sex offenders who have move to Arkansas from another state are required to register with the local law enforcement unit within three days of arriving in Arkansas.

Laws Regarding Sex Offender Registration

If a sex offender residing doesn’t register, fails to report a change of address, or fails to submit for regular evaluations, he or she will be considered guilty of committing a Class C felony. This kind of felony can incur a fine of $10,000 or a prison sentence of up to 20 years.

The change of address notification form can be downloaded from the Crime Information Center website at http://www.acic.org/forms/Sex%20Offenders/SO_Address_Change_091508.pdf. Offenders must fill out the form and mail it to:

Arkansas Crime Information Center
One Capitol Mall
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
Phone: 501-682-2222
Fax: 501-683-5592

ACA 12-12-904 mandates that after an offender has filled out the sex offender registration form, the information must be recorded and registered with the Crime Information Center in Arkansas within three days. The information in the record is then entered into the offender registration files of Arkansas and the national sex offender database.

What Information is Included in Each Record?

Each sex offender record includes very detailed information. A record contains information such as a physical description of the offender as well as personal details like date of birth, first name, last name, aliases, age, height, weight, sex, race, eye color, hair color, state identification card, photograph, biological samples, name of the sentencing court, arresting agency, date of arrest, place of arrest, conviction date, outstanding warrants, ARS identity, details of each crime committed and length of sentencing period, level of education, residential address, changes in residency employment status, address employment, distinguishing marks, scars or tattoos, vehicles used and their color and model, driver’s license, registration number of any vehicles, state of registration of the vehicles, and details about the victim of the crime such as age and the degree of assault. More information on the sex offender registry is available at http://www.acic.org/forms/Sex%20Offenders/SO_Registration_Form_09108.pdf.

If you have any questions about the information contained in the Arkansas sex offender registry, or if you want to report errors in the information or know an offender who is not registered with the correct address, you can visit the website of the Crime Information Center of Arkansas at http://www.acic.org/Registration/index.htm. You can also contact the Crime Information Center through postal mail at:

Arkansas Crime Information Center
One Capitol Mall
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
Phone: 501-682-2222

Accessing Information on Sex Offenders Through the Department of Corrections

Sex offenders in the state of Arkansas who have registered with the Crime Information Center must report to the Department of Correction for evaluation and risk assessment purposes. The Department of Correction determines the risk factor of each sex offender based on this evaluation and then assigns a risk level to each offender. This risk level represents the offender's likelihood to commit sexual crimes again. Risk levels range from Level 1 to Level 4, which is the highest risk level and is usually assigned to those considered sexual predators.  Level 3 constitutes high-risk offenders, Level 2 indicates a moderate risk factor, and Level 1 implies a relatively low risk level.

While law enforcement agencies have access to information on offenders of all risk levels, the official website of the state allows public access only to Level 3 and Level 4 offenders under Section 12-12-913 (j) (1) (A).For more information on offender evaluation procedures, visit http://www.acic.org/Registration/SOAC%20GL%202007.pdf.

To obtain more information about sex offenders who may be residing in your neighborhood, or to report incorrect information in the registry or an offender who has not registered, contact Paula Stitz at 501-682-2222. You can also contact her via e-mail at pstitz@acic.arkansas.gov.