South Carolina Sex Offender Registry Information

A person who has been convicted or has pleaded guilty of committing a sex crime is known as a sex offender. A number of crimes from molesting a child to abusing a child sexually can be labeled as a sex offense. Other serious offenses like rape, statutory rape, kidnapping or unlawful restriction with an intent to abuse the victim sexually are also listed as sex offenses by almost all states of America. Child pornography and trafficking for sex are also considered to be sex offenses. Offenders found guilty of violent sex crimes or repeat crimes are known as predators in the State of South Carolina and elsewhere in the country. Recent statistics reveal that a total of 11,470 sex offenders were registered in the South Carolina sex offender registry as of 5/26/2009.

The crimes are normally classified into different degrees. The severest sex crimes constitute the first degree offense in the State of South Carolina. Lesser offenses, sexual in nature, do not merit too harsh a sentence and most of these criminals have fewer restrictions placed on them. These offenders are also required to register themselves in the South Carolina sex offender registry.

Sex Offender Registration:

The 1994 act of Jacob Wetterling requires all the states including the state of South Carolina to maintain a sex registry of known criminals convicted of sex offenses within the state. Persons who were found not guilty on account of insanity are not required to register themselves in the registry unless the person is no longer considered to be insane or is specifically ordered by the concerned trial judge to register himself. The purpose of maintaining such a registry is necessary in order to caution the residents of South Carolina so that they can take adequate protective measures against the sex offenders. The privacy law is not applicable to such offenders as it has been seen that such offenders commit sex offenses repeatedly and hence pose a risk for the security of the ordinary residents of the state.

The South Carolina sex offender registry is under the authorization of the Chief of the State Law Enforcement Division and contains information that the department believes will help in assisting the law enforcement for the state. Details about the registry can be accessed by visiting http://services.sled.sc.gov/. The information is also collected and analyzed by the division apart from maintaining the South Carolina sex offender registry. The details of the registry are shared with the various law enforcement agencies of the state so the public can access the details of the registry by logging on to the appropriate official website link http://services.sled.sc.gov/sor/. The State law enforcement department also removes the name of a sex offender from the registry if the Attorney General of South Carolina overturns the verdict or the offender receives a pardon from the concerned authorities.

Registration with Law Enforcement Agencies:

Every sex offender is required to register himself in the South Carolina sex offender registry by contacting the Sheriff’s department of the county of his residence. The offender can also register with the law enforcement agency of the area where he owns property or had last attended school. The sheriff also needs to forward the relevant details of the offender to the State law enforcement Division (SLED) within five business days of registration. The times of the day during which an offender may register himself in the South Carolina sex offender registry has to be specified by the Sheriff’s department as well. Complete information of the offender is required to be shared with the local law enforcement agencies including the law maintenance divisions of all local educational institutions. The Sheriff also has the additional responsibility of verifying the address of the local offenders on a yearly basis.

Time frame for registering with the South Carolina Sex Offender Registry:

All South Carolina sex offenders are required to register themselves within a day of release or sentencing. A period of ten days is allowed for offenders who were out of state or have entered the state of South Carolina recently. Ten days are also permitted for sex offenders who change their address of residence. Juvenile offenders are also required to register with the South Carolina sex offender registry within ten days in case they are not placed under the care of juvenile justice authorities. The law of the state requires every offender to remain registered for life.

Penalties:

Offenders who have been found to be guilty of committing sex offenses can be penalized for non compliance if they do not register themselves in the South Carolina sex offender registry within the specified time frame. A misdemeanor charge with a sentencing for a period of three months to one year is the usual penalty. The third offense is considered to be a felony and attracts a penalty of 1-5 years with no possibility of suspension or probation whatsoever.

Information obtained from South Carolina Sex Offender Registry:

The name as well as other details pertaining to the physical description of the offender can be retrieved by accessing the South Carolina sex offender registry. Aliases as well as nicknames along with details of scars and tattoos can be obtained from the registry as well. The nature of the offenses along with the current residential address is also given within the sex offender registry for the state of South Carolina. A photograph of the offender can be viewed from the registry as well. Although every attempt is made by the law enforcement authorities of the State to provide accurate information, the information may become outdated as such offenders change their addresses frequently. The local Sheriff’s department or the Sex offender registry for South Carolina [(803) 896-2601] can be contacted for rectification of a record if it is found to be inaccurate.

Access to South Carolina Sex Offender Registry:

The information of the sex offender registry for the State of South Carolina is public record and can be viewed by any resident of the state by accessing the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division by accessing http://www.sled.sc.gov/.

Additional information about the sex offenders can be obtained by writing in to the department at Post Office Box 21398, Columbia, SC 29221.