Learn More About the California Sex Offender Registry

California sex offender registry is maintained by California Department of Justice. This database can be accessed from the official website of the said Department. California was the first state of America to introduce a program called sex offender registration. But disclosure of the information of their release to the general public came into existence after almost half a century.  Wetterling Act of 1994 made it mandatory for all states to pass the legislation stating that all sex offenders are liable to register with the sex offender registration of their respective states. And Megan’s Law passed in 1996 mandated to make the information accessible to public via Internet. In 2006, a new law was created by the voters of California according to which it was agreed to monitor the convicted sexual predators for the entire lifetime and introduce predator free zones.

California sex offender registry has entries of about 65,000 offenders. You will find home addresses displayed on the information pages of 33,000 offenders while rest 30,500 are included in the list with specific zip codes, county and city. There are more than 22,000 offenders whose information is withheld by the authorities. So, if you don’t find a particular offender though you are sure about his or her offense, you can inquire with the local law enforcement body or any personnel. Information on only those offenders is displayed who have been convicted for crimes that are allowed to be disclosed publicly.

The database of sex offenders is maintained by both State Justice Department and the local law enforcement bodies. Later are the actual agencies as the authority to update information on the database rest with them. The records of the county are then maintained by the state. According to the law, adult as well as juvenile offenders who have been convicted at the court for juveniles but have been sent to the imprisonment of state level, must report for California sex offender registry. Apart from them, sex offenders from other state working or attending schools in California must also register here. Registration in California is mandatory even if they have registered with their home state registration facilities. The law is applicable for the military as well as federal sex offenders.

A registered sex offender in California is mandated to register within five working days of release from confinement. He or she must register annually within five business days from his or her birthday. The transient offenders need to register every month and predators are mandated to update their information every three months. All the offenders must inform the local authorities about the change in their address so that the records are updated accordingly. There is also a Sex Offender Tracking Program which keeps tab on the due updates. When it finds an offender due on its annual registration, the violation is mentioned on the information page.

Failing to register periodically is a serious offense. If the offender is guilty for sex crime of felony type, his or her failure in compliance with the ordinance is considered willful and regarded as a felony crime. And if the offender is registered for misdemeanor, his or her first failure is considered a misdemeanor act and the subsequent instances of failure as felonies. Whether the offender is adult or juvenile, the registration process is a lifetime requirement. If juvenile offender wants to be relieved of this rule, he or she needs to file a petition in juvenile court to seal the record. Adults can petition for Rehabilitation Certificate or pardon of the Governor, as per the requirement of the case.

Sex Offender Tracking Program of California State Department of Justice determines whether an offender is eligible to have his or her name excluded from the public accessible database or not. If the offenses made by them are one of the following, then an application for exclusion can be made- child molestation of misdemeanor type that comply with Penal Code 647.6, restrained sexual battery of Penal Code subdivision of 243.4 or if the convict engages in an sexual contact with a child, sibling, stepchild or grandchild that does not involve oral copulation or penetration and for which he or she has completed the probation. If the application is approved information from website is removed, but annual registration is still a must for them.

California Sex Offender Registry Information

Information that California sex offender registry collect from the convicts include name, date of birth, sex, ethnicity, hair color, eye color, address both residential and email, finger and palm prints, current photographs, vehicle information if any, campus information when applicable, identification mark, license number, employment and employer information, name and address of school or college if the convict is juvenile or young, and DNA samples like saliva and blood.

Misuse of California sex offender registry is a punishable offense. If someone extracts information from this source to commit a felony, he or she is assigned imprisonment of five years in the state jail. If the information is used for a misdemeanor offense, then the offender is fined an amount between $500 to $1000.

Public notification of information on sex offender through Internet-based database became mandatory after Megan Law was implemented in 1996. This law was enacted after the tragic case of Megan Kanka, a seven year old girl in New Jersey who was brutally raped and then murdered by a sex offender who lived across the street. After he was traced, convicted and sentenced, a petition was filed which asked for provisions to enhance the safety of the community from the sex offenders. In 1996, President Bill Clinton signed to make it compulsory for every state to maintain a record of the released offenders that anyone can access via Internet.

Accessing Database

The official website sponsored by the state to access the database can be reached at http://www.meganslaw.ca.gov/. If you want to meet the law enforcement personnel in person to know about an offender not listed, you can call up the office at 916) 227-4974 or email them at MegansLaw@doj.ca.gov for appointment. The mailing address of the office is California Department of Justice, Sex Offender Tracking Program, P. O. Box 903387, Sacramento, CA 94203-3870.