MEGAN'S LAW
Ruling allows information to be accessed by all
By Brittany Cole
In 1994, a seven-year-old
New Jersey girl named Megan Kanka was brutally raped and murdered
by a twice convicted child molester who had committed a similar
crime only months before. At the time, information about this
offender’s location was not available to the public and
the Kanka family had no idea that a known sex offender was living
on their street. This horrific event prompted the Kankas to push
for a system that would provide community notification of released
sex offenders. On May 17, 1996, President Clinton authorized Megan’s
Law, which then would allow people to personally visit a police
station and sheriff’s office or call a 900 toll-number and
receive information about local sex offenders. The purpose of
Megan’s Law is to inform the families in communities of
the locations of sex offenders so that they can further protect
themselves and their children. More recently, on August 24, 2004,
a new law was finalized by the Legislature and then signed by
the Governor on September 24, 2004. This law now allows people
to access this information through their own computers.
The Megan’s Law website is http://www.meganslaw.ca.gov.
The information shown on this website is maintained in a database
by the California Department of Justice. Before entering into
the main part of the website, one must first read and abide by
the disclaimer. It first states that, “The law is not intended
to punish the offender and specifically prohibits using the information
to harass or commit any crime against an offender.” It then
goes on to state the stipulations upon which one must agree before
accessing the detailed information about local sex offenders.
The website allows you to search by Name, Address, City, Zip Code,
County, Parks, and Schools. The option of a radius is given, ranging
from 1/10 mile to 2 miles, and you may zoom in and out of the
given map. After the map is displayed, the small blue squares
signify the location of a sex offender; if the square is slightly
larger that signifies multiple offenders in that location. You
may click on the square to receive information on that specific
offender including a photograph, description (name, address, birth
date, height etc), their offenses, scars/marks/tattoos, and known
aliases. Although the site is extremely detailed, twenty-five
percent of offenders are not listed on it because the offense
they committed is excluded from public disclosure by law. However,
these offenders must still register and be made known to the local
law enforcement.
Megan’s Law has many requirements to ensure solid guidelines
and ultimate safety. It creates three levels of sex offenders:
Level 1 (low risk), Level 2 (moderate risk), and Level 3 (high
risk). No information may be given out about Level 1 offenders.
Whereas, it is up to the local department of law enforcement to
determine whether the public will be notified about Level 2 and
3 offenders. Megan’s Law also requires that sex offenders
register with the state after conviction, or once they are released
from prison, jail, a mental hospital, or are on probation. They
must also notify the registry when they relocate anywhere in that
state or in another state. Offenders must update their information
annually, within five working days of their birthday. However
there are some exceptions to the annual registration rule. If
an offender is considered dangerous (Level 3), they must check
in every ninety days. In addition, a homeless offender must update
every thirty days in order to keep track of their whereabouts.
An offender must also register every address of any residence
in which they reside. If they make a name change they must inform
the registry within five working days. Then if an offender does
not register within their allotted time, they are considered in
violation of the law and this is noted on their individual registration.
A small minority may view this law as infringing upon the offender’s
privacy interests; however, the government weighs public safety
far above a criminal’s privacy. Now, if you’re wondering
about just how safe your neighborhood is, just log onto http://www.meganslaw.ca.gov.
