U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Statistics Summary of State Sex Offender Registry Dissemination Procedures Factsheet August 1999 NCJ 177620 By Devon B. Adams BJS Program Assistant This report is one of a series. Previous editions are available and more recent editions may be available. To view a list of all in the series go to http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pubalp2.htm#registries. This report updates the "Dissemination of Sex Offender Registry Data" section of the Summary of State Sex Offender Registries: Automation and Operation 1998. NCJ 177621 -------------------------------------------------------------- Highlights -------------- * Over two-thirds of the States indicated full or partial electronic dissemination of State Sex Offender Registry (SOR) information to local law enforcement or other agencies responsible for offender supervision. *Over half of all States have or plan to have an Internet site devoted to some aspect of SOR: -- 15 States have publicly accessible Internet sites con- taining information on individual sex offenders in a searchable format. -- 10 States have Internet sites accessible only to law enforcement agencies or containing information that pertains only to the registry and not to individual offenders. -- 5 States without a SOR Internet site are planning to develop one. -- The remaining 20 States and the District of Columbia indicated that they did not currently have an Internet site with SOR information and provided no information as to whether one was planned. * California, Florida, New York, and Wisconsin are the only States to have a Sex Offender Information Hotline. California is the only State to provide a CD-ROM of registered sex offenders for public inspection. * Over 60% of the States reported that citizens may make requests (usually written) to receive information on a specific offender or list of offenders or may view the registry at the discretion of local law enforcement agencies. In many of these States, citizens had to demonstrate a need to know. * In at least four States, litigation has limited public dissemination of some or all individual sex offender information. --------------------------------------------------------- As part of the National Sex Offender Registry Assistance Program (NSOR-AP), the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) prepared Summary of State Sex Offender Registries: Automation and Operation: 1998 (NCJ 177621). The report presents the status of sex offender registries in the 50 States and the District of Columbia as of April 1, 1998, prior to the award of Federal funds under NSOR-AP. The report is available on the BJS website at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/ssxor.htm. BJS contacted the States for an update of their sex offender registry dissemination procedures to reflect conditions as of May 1, 1999. Copies of the original survey responses were sent to each State. The designated official was requested to review, sign, and return the information to BJS. States were asked for information on existing State notification systems, use of the Internet, CD-ROMs, and hotlines. Of particular interest were those procedures used to disseminate information on sexual predators or the high risk offenders in each State's registry. Responses were received from all 50 States and the District of Columbia. Follow-up telephone contacts were made to gather further information when responses were unclear. A draft was then sent to the States for final review. States were asked to review and update the four categories of dissemination procedures outlined on page 2. Responses to these categories are summarized in the table Sex Offender Registry information: Dissemination and community notification, 1999. All data shown in the summaries are current as of May 1, 1999. Additional information for each State will be presented on the BJS website. Dissemination to law enforcement and criminal justice agencies States summarized how sex offender information is transmitted from the registry to local law enforcement agencies. Responses ranged from extensive electronic transmission to all local law enforcement agencies by the State SOR to hard copies mailed to local agencies by request only. Dissemination procedures to organizations serving children, the elderly, and the mentally ill The States reported numerous methods of dissemination and notification from the local law enforcement agencies to schools and other child welfare and youth serving organizations. Dissemination procedures to the general public Scope: Community notification is open to a variety of interpretation by the States. In over half the States, community notification is permitted for specific types of offenders, such as high risk offenders, violent or habitual offenders, sexual predators, and child sexual offenders, and sexual predators. Information on sex offenders other than those listed above is generally provided to local law enforcement agencies, victims, and schools and other youth service organizations. In other States local law enforcement is given significant latitude when it comes to releasing offender specific information to communities and the general public. Method of disclosure (other than Internet sites): The States reported a wide variety of methods for disseminating SOR information to the community and general public. Methods include the following: sending or posting fliers in the offender's residential district; law enforcement officers conducting door-to-door notification; community meetings; placing newspaper ads; and so on. Internet website The States indicated whether a website had been established, whether it contained information on specific offenders, and whether it was accessible to the public. The State-by-State Summary is contained in a separate file which is available at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/ascii/pub/ascii/sssorst.txt. END OF FILE pm/da 8/20/99