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High Risk Sex
Offender
1. When are sex offenders required to register
with local authorities?
2. What
does 290 PC mean?
3. What are the different Sex Registration
Classifications?
4. What is the procedure for viewing the
Megan's Law Application?
5. How can I obtain information by the
telephone?
6. What information will the Megan's Law Web
Application provide?
7. Is the information on Megan's Web
Application accurate?
8. If I have an address I suspect an offender lives, will the
Megan's Law Web Application tell me?
9. When are sex offenders required to
register?
10. Is it a crime if a sex offender does not register?
11. I know of a sex offender who did not register when he/she
recently moved to a new location, what should I do?
12. Why are local law enforcement agencies assigned the
responsibility to determine when to notify the public about a "High
Risk" or serious sex offender?
13. Can I view California's statewide sex offender statistics?
14. If I have a question regarding the High Risk Offender, who
should I contact?
1.When are sex offenders required to register with local
authorities?
Sex offenders are required to register with local law enforcement
agencies within five working days of being released from a local
jail or state prison or completion of any alternate sentence. Sex
offenders also must re-register every year within five working days
of his or her birthday, moving, or changing his or her name. With
few exceptions, the registration requirement is a lifetime mandate.
During annual registration, the registered sex offender is required
to verify his or her name and address or temporary location. Failure
to register properly may be a felony and may count as a “Third
Strike” (Penal Code section 290)
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2. What does 290 PC mean?
290 PC refers to California Penal Code Section 290, the law that
requires sex offender registration. Section 290 of the California
Penal Code requires people convicted of certain sexual offenses to
register with the local law enforcement agency responsible for the
jurisdiction in which they reside within 5 working days of their
birthday, and within 5 working days of changing their address. This
is a requirement for the rest of their lives. If they fail to
register on time, they are in violation of the law. If they fail to
notify their local police agency when they move in or out of the
city, they are in violation of the law. If they provide false or
deceptive information about where they are living, they are in
violation of the law. The Fresno County Sheriff's Department has a team of
detectives assigned specifically to monitoring and tracking sex
registrants and routinely send cases to the District Attorney’s
Office for filing of 290 PC violations.
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3. What are the different sex registration classifications?
Generally, a "high-risk" sex offender is an individual convicted of
multiple violent crimes, at least one of which was a violent sex
crime. The criterion for “high-risk” sex offenders is set forth in
Penal Code Section 290(n) (1) (A).
This
information can be released to persons at risk or to the entire
community.
"Serious" sex
offender has a conviction of a specified felony sex offense or
misdemeanor child molestation. A complete listing of crimes subject
to registration is listed in Penal Code Section 290.4 (a) (1). The
information can be released to persons at risk
ONLY.
"Other" sex
offenders are required to register, but are not subject to
disclosure under Megan's Law. These other sex offenders are
individuals convicted of pornography, exhibitionism, misdemeanor
sexual battery, incest or spousal rape. Additionally, sex offenders
adjudicated in juvenile court are not subject to public disclosure.
Information regarding “Other” sex offenders
MAY NOT be disseminated to the public.
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4. What is the procedure for viewing the Megan’s Law Web
Application?
Megan's Law Database is free and available for public viewing at the
Fresno County Sheriff’s Department, Headquarters at 2200 Fresno St.,
Fresno, CA.
During normal
business hours Mon - Fri, 8:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.
To view the
Megan’s Web Application, you must:
be at least
18 years of age: or accompanied by parent or legal guardian:
provide a
California driver’s license or California identification card;
sign a
statement that you are not a registered sex offender; that you
understand the purpose of the release of information is for the
public to protect themselves and their children from sex offenders;
and that it is illegal to use the information to harass,
discriminate or commit a crime against any registrant;
state a
distinct purpose for viewing the Megan’s Law Web Application, if
required by local law enforcement. (Your information is
confidential except for law enforcement purposes).
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5. How
can I obtain information by the telephone?
Information can be obtained over the telephone by calling the
California Sex Offender information Telephone Service at
1-900-448-3000.
There will be a $10 service fee.
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6. What info will
the Database provide?
The Megan's Database will provide the names, physical descriptions,
photographs, conviction offense, and ZIP code of residence for all
registered sex offenders currently registered within California. The
Database can only be searched by entering the name of an offender,
or by entering a ZIP code. For example, if you type in the name of a
sex offender, all the above information for that offender will be
displayed. If you type in a zip code, the above information for all
offenders residing within that ZIP code will be displayed. By law,
the residential address of registered sex offenders is NOT public
information.
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7. Is the information on Megan's Web Application accurate?
The Megan’s Law Application
uses the latest technology to provide accurate and up-to-date
information. The web application reflects that information provided
by sex offenders as a condition of their registration requirements.
The majority of California’s registered sex offenders are in
compliance with their registration requirements. However, zip codes
may not be up-to-date on sex offenders who fail to comply.
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8. If I have an address where I suspect an offender lives, will
Megan's Database tell me?
Unfortunately, at this time the law does not allow for the public to
view this information. By law, the residential address of a sex
offender is NOT public information. You will only be able to search
Megan's Law Web Application by providing the name of the offender,
or viewing all of the offenders in a particular ZIP code. Although
you may not immediately recognize an offender from the database, we
hope by viewing the database it will increase your awareness of
potential dangers to your children. Often, persons will recognize
the photograph of an offender as someone they have seen or maybe in
spoken with in their neighborhood.
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9. When are
sex offenders required to register?
Sex offenders are required to register with local law enforcement
agencies within five working days of being released from a local
jail or state prison or completion of any alternate sentence. Sex
offenders also must re-register every year within five working days
of his or her birthday, moving, or changing his or her name.
With few
exceptions, the registration requirement is a lifetime mandate.
During annual registration, the registered sex offender is required
to verify his or her name and address or temporary location. Failure
to properly register may be a felony and may count as a "Third
Strike" (Penal Code Section 290).
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10.
Is it a crime if a sex offender does not register?
Yes. If a sex offender fails to register in accordance with PC 290,
they are guilty of a crime. If the offender was originally convicted
of a misdemeanor offense, then their first violation is a
misdemeanor offense. Any subsequent convictions for failing to
register will be charged as a felony. The violator will be subject
to incarceration in the state prison for a period of 16 months, 2 or
3 years. An offender, who fails to register as the result of a
felony conviction, is guilty of a felony and is subject to
imprisonment for 16 months, 2 or 3 years. The Fresno County
Sheriff’s Department’s 290 team actively pursues offenders who have
failed to register and conducts periodic checks to assure offenders
are registered at the proper address. Any violations discovered are
handled swiftly and result in the arrest and / or prosecution of the
violator.
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11. I know of a sex offender who did not register when he / she
recently moved to a new location, what should I do?
Do not contact the offender. You should immediately contact the
police agency that has jurisdiction in that area. You may contact
the Fresno County Sheriff’s Department 290 Team by calling (559)
488-3740 or (559) 488-3912. Please be ready to provide as much
information regarding the offender as possible, including name,
physical description (race, height, weight, hair / eye color) and
their current location.
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12. Why are local law enforcement agencies assigned the
responsibility to determine when to notify the public about a “High
Risk” or serious registered sex offender?
Local law enforcement
agencies are considered to be in the best position to determine what
level and method of notification is appropriate for their community.
13.
Can I view California’s sex offender statistics?
Yes, current statewide sex offender statistics as of November 3,
2003 are available at
http://www.caag.state.ca.us/megan/stats.htm from the Department
of Justice.
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14.
If I have a question regarding the “High Risk” Sex Offenders, who
should I contact?
You may contact the Fresno County Sheriff’s Department P.C. 290 Team
at (559) 488-3740 or (559) 488 3912 for any questions regarding
these “High Risk” sex offenders.
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