§20920 Public Access to Sex Offender Information Through the Internet

Summary

Each jurisdiction must put all public sex offender registry information on the Internet so the public and other jurisdictions can access it. The website must let users find relevant info with one search by zip code or by a geographic radius they choose. The site must include the search fields needed to work with the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website and must join that national site as the Attorney General requires. The site must not show crime victims’ identities, a registrant’s Social Security number, arrests that did not lead to conviction, or any other items the Attorney General keeps private. A jurisdiction may also hide certain items, such as info about a tier I offender convicted of something other than a specified offense against a minor, an employer’s name, a school the offender attends, or other items the Attorney General allows. The website should link to safety and education resources, explain how to request corrections to wrong information, and warn that using the information to harm, harass, or commit crimes against anyone could lead to civil or criminal penalties.