Finding Registered Sex Offenders Using Web Detective Services

Two consecutive federal laws have made it possible for the public to find out about registered sex offenders in their area:

1994 - the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Act (commonly abbreviated as the Jacob Wetterling Act) is signed into law as part of the Federal Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. Jacob was abducted in 1989 at the age of 11, possibly by a resident at nearby St. Joseph's, a halfway house that, unbeknownst to the public, was housing known sex offenders after their release from prison. The Jacob Wetterling Act makes it mandatory for states to implement and maintain a crimes against children and sex offender registry.
1996 - Megan's Law is named after Megan Kanka, a girl from New Jersey who was raped and killed at the age of 7 by a known sex offender who'd moved into the Kanka's neighborhood without their knowledge. It amends the Jacob Wetterling Act, adding that now states establish a community notification system for when registered sex offenders move into their area.

Children aren't the only ones protected by registered sex offender laws. In 2000, the Jacob Wetterling Act was amended once again to include the Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act requiring registered sex offenders report to their state government if ever they've enrolled at or been employed by any institution of higher education (college, university, post-secondary vocational school, etc.). Registered sex offenders attending or working at such an institution must also inform a law enforcement agency whose jurisdiction includes that institution of this fact.

Most recently - and most significantly - on July 20, 2005 the U.S. D.O.J. (the United States Department of Justice) officially launched a National Sex Offender Public Registry. The public is free to access and review all available data on all registered sex offenders in the participating states. As of this writing, at least 41 states participate in this national sex offender registry.

Information is also available on the registered sex offenders residing in various Canadian provinces.

The information contained in these sex offender lists is of public record, accessible to anyone - anyone who knows how to access it, that is. Though every state is required to abide by these laws, each state is permitted to implement them however they wish (within limitations, of course) Now you, as a concerned individual, could research your state's specific implementation of the laws on registered sex offenders and community notification - what information is contained in their sex offender registry of which jurisdictions (state, county, city), what information is included in each sex offender list, what crimes are constituted "registerable" sexual offenses, how the public is able to access it and any requirements or restrictions thereof, etc.

Or you could enlist the aid of one of the web detective services, reviewed on this site, cut those steps out entirely, and simply get a hold of the information you need.

It is always important to use your own discretion when digging for this kind of information. Even the Department of Justice requires those searching the National Sex Offender Public Registry for registered sex offenders in their area to sign (or electronically "sign") a disclaimer acknowledging, among other things:

"The Department does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information contained in state Web sites regarding specific offenders or with respect to the omission of information about other offenders who may be residing, working, or attending school in the vicinity of any location that is the subject of any search using this Web site."

AND

"It is possible that information accessed or obtained through this Web site may not reflect current residences, employment, school attendance, or other information regarding such individuals, and users are forewarned that it is incumbent upon them to verify information."

When dealing with issues as sensitive as registered sex offenders, it is wise to be responsible, respectful, discreet, clear-headed, thorough, and law-abiding in your every step so that you can properly protect yourself and those you love without causing unintended and/or undeserved harm to another.

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