- Details
Sex offenders aren’t required to notify their neighbors, but it’s simple to find out if any are living nearby. Most states have established public sex offender registries, which anyone can easily access. Plus, there are various online tools that let you find information about any person.
This accessibility is thanks to laws like Megan's Law, which was passed in 1996 after the murder of Megan Kanka.
In this article, we will explain whether sex offenders have to notify neighbors and how you can check if anyone in your vicinity is one.
Megan’s Law
The murder of Megan Kanka in 1994 led the authorities to make a law requiring authorities to share information about convicted sex offenders with the public. Megan’s tragic death happened because her parents didn’t know that there was a violent sex offender living in their neighborhood.
After the law was passed, authorities had to share the information about sex offenders publicly so people could take precautions if one lived nearby.
This legislation paved the way for the creation of sex offender maps. These maps allow you to easily locate any sex offenders in your area by pinpointing exactly where they live.
Do Sex Offenders Have to Notify Their Neighbors?
The short answer is no. There’s no legal requirement for a sex offender to personally notify their neighbors. You are, however, required to report monthly, quarterly, bi-annually, or annually for verification in court, depending on the severity of your conviction. Failing to verify within the specified timeframe can lead to prosecution.
The Sheriff’s department has to send out a notification to communities to let them know that there is a sex offender living among them. In many states, there are restrictions on where sex offenders can live, often prohibiting them from residing within a certain distance of places like schools, parks, or playgrounds.
People can easily find information about sex offenders using the internet. There are many online address lookup tools that will allow you to find information about a person just by entering their address.
What Makes Someone a Sex Offender?
A person is considered to be a sex offender if they have committed sexual offenses such as rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse of a minor, possession or distribution of child pornography, and indecent exposure. A person convicted of a sexual offense has to register themselves as a sex offender. How long they remain an offender depends on what tier they belong to:
- Tier I: Sex offenders have to present themselves for in-person verification annually for 15 years.
- Tier II: Sex offenders have to verify their information in person semi-annually for 25 years.
- Tier III: Sex offenders have to verify their information in person quarterly for the rest of their lives
Owing to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), it is nearly impossible for a sex offender to hide their offenses.
Do Sex Offenders Have to Notify Their Employers?
No, sex offenders are not required to tell their employers. However, most employers will run a background check on potential employees, so it’ll be very easy for them to find out. In many cases, the police will notify the employers if they have an employee who is a registered sex offender.
Since sex offenders are not a protected class (like gender, religion, and ethnicity), employers can legally refuse to hire someone if they run a background check on them and find out they are a registered sex offender.
How Can a Sex Offender Reintegrate Into Society?
If your conviction sentence is over and you're committed to living peacefully without causing any more trouble, here are some things you should do:
- Adhere to all the residency restrictions imposed on you.
- Comply with all the restrictions and guidance of the parole officer.
- Participate in therapy and rehabilitation programs to let others know that you’re serious about getting better.
Keep Yourself and Your Family Safe
Knowing if there is a sex offender living in your community is important for protecting yourself and your loved ones. They’re not legally obligated to notify their neighbors, but you can easily find out if anyone in your neighborhood is one with the help of an online reverse address lookup tool.
In most states, sex offenders aren’t even allowed to live near certain places. Plus, they have to get themselves registered as a sex offender, which means anyone can find out their whereabouts.