Copyright 2002 LRP Publications
                         Corrections Professional

                             September 6, 2002

SECTION: Vol. 8, No. 2

LENGTH: 449 words

HEADLINE: BJS releases survey results of states' sex offender registries

BODY:
In February 2001, the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics contacted each
state for a third time to obtain information on the operation of their sex
offender registries. All states were asked to update information on the
overall operation and automation of the registries and procedures relating
to community notification. All 50 states and the District of Columbia
responded to the survey, and all had a registry in place. Details of the
survey include the following:

Responsibility for registries. In 17 states, the state police were
responsible for operating and maintaining the registry. The department of
public safety was responsible in 11 states. The office of the attorney
general operates the registry in six states, and the department of
corrections is responsible in three states. In the remaining states, some
other defined criminal justice agency is responsible for the sex offender
registry.

Number of offenders in the registry. As of February 2001, there were about
386,000 convicted sex offenders registered in 49 states and the District of
Columbia. The number of offenders in individual state registries ranged
from 473 in Maine to 88,853 in California. The median registry had about
4,100 offenders.

Automation of registries. In 2001, the level of sex offender registry
automation varied substantially, not only across states, but also by which
data and/or linkages were automated. All of the states reported some level
of automation of their text database. It ranged from limited to full
automation.

As of February 2001, 26 states indicated that there was a link from the sex
offender registry database to the criminal history file. Five states
indicated that the criminal history file can be accessed through a separate
hot file or through the state identification number.

DNA samples collected and maintained. In 2001, 22 registries reported that
DNA samples were collected and maintained by the registry as a requirement
of registration. In addition, 10 registries indicated DNA samples were
collected but were maintained separate from registry requirements, and 19
registries reported limited or not collection of DNA samples.

Dissemination procedures. One notable finding of the survey is that states
increasingly are posting offender-specific information on state and or
local law enforcement Web sites to fulfill notification requirements under
Megan's Law. As of 2001, 29 states and the District of Columbia had
publicly accessible Internet sites containing searchable information on
individual sex offenders, 8 states had a Web site limited to information
about the registry, six states were developing a Web site, and seven states
had no Web site.

LOAD-DATE: September 6, 2002