What Does It Mean To Be A Registered Sex Offender?
By law, persons convicted of specified sex crimes are required to register as sex offenders with a local law enforcement agency. Registered sex offenders are required to update their information annually, within five working days of their birthday. Some sex offenders must update more often: transients must update every 30 days, and sexually violent predators, every 90 days. Whether public disclosure is permitted is based on the type of sex crime for which the person is required to register. California’s Megan’s Law was enacted in 1996, and allows local law enforcement agencies to notify the public about sex offender registrants found to be posing a risk to the public. Megan’s Law is named after seven-year-old Megan Kanka, a New Jersey girl who was raped and killed by a known child molester who had moved across the street from the family without their knowledge. In the wake of the tragedy, the Kankas sought to have local communities warned about sex offenders in the area. All states now
