Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Requirements

If you are required to register as a sex offender in Massachusetts, it is important to understand these obligations to avoid penalties.

2012-11-01

November 01, 2012 (Press-News.org) Massachusetts requires most sex offenders to register on the state's sex offender registry. Since the state imposes stiff penalties for offenders who fail to comply with its strict registry requirements, it is imperative that those who have served time for sex offenses understand the law and their obligation to register.

Who Is Required to Register on Massachusetts' Sex Offender Registry?

All Level One, Two and Three sex offenders who work, live or go to post-secondary school in Massachusetts are required to register as a sex offender with the state. Level One offenders must mail in their yearly registrations to the Sex Offender Registry Board (SORB), however, their information is not made available to the public.

Additionally, any sex offender who has been convicted, released, is in custody, on parole or is civilly committed for an eligible offense since August 1, 1981, must register with the state.

Level Two and Three sex offenders--those with moderate and high risks of reoffending--must register every year in person at their local police stations. Information about both levels of offenders is available to the public in some way. Information about Level Two offenders is available at police departments or through SORB, but the request for information must be made in person or through the mail.

For information on Level Three offenders, however, the public is able to access data at police stations, SORB or online, and police departments have a responsibility to distribute information about Level Three offenders' residencies to the public.

What Information Gets Recorded in Massachusetts' Sex Offender Registry?

The state's SORB tracks sex offenders' record of convictions, including adult and juvenile offenses as well as the types of sex offenses that each registrant has committed, including dates. Massachusetts also requires offenders submit identification data like height, weight and age. Offenders must also include their work, home and school addresses.

Offenders must check in yearly to verify their addresses, or every 45 days if they are homeless. Additionally, the state must be notified of any changes to an offender's work, home or school address or if they move out of state.

How Long Must Offenders Register with the State of Massachusetts?

Those with only one sexual offense conviction must register for 20 years with the state of Massachusetts, starting at the date of conviction or release from custody or supervision, whichever is later. However, those who committed offenses against children or convicted of a sexually violent offense must register for life.

Those who can prove they have not committed a sex offense since they were required to register and are no longer a danger to the public can apply to end their duty to register after ten years.

Does Massachusetts Penalize Offenders for Failing to Register?

Offenders who fail to comply with the state's sex offender registry laws are subject to tough penalties. Some typical offenses may include failing to register or verify their address and other information, failing to provide change of address information or providing false information on registry forms.

Those who violate the registry rules face a prison term of six months to five years, a fine up to $1,000, or both. Some sex offenders may be required participate in community parole supervision for life. Any subsequent violations result in a jail term of no less than five years.

Massachusetts has tough registration requirements for sex offenders, including Level One offenders who are at low risk of reoffending. Those accused of sex offenses should fully understand the state's strict registration requirements prior to trial to understand what they may face if convicted. If you or a loved one is accused of a sex crime, hiring an experienced criminal defense attorney may help you avoid becoming subject to Massachusetts' strict registration requirements.

Article provided by Peter Elikann, Attorney at Law
Visit us at www.elikannlaw.com/

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

New Tools Help Families Identify Abusive Nursing Homes

2012-11-01

Elder abuse is an increasingly common occurrence in the United States. Between 500,000 and one million reports of the criminal behavior filed each year. Now, two online tools allow users to identify nursing homes treat their residents well and those that tend to neglect or mistreat the elderly in their care. Nursing Home Compare and Nursing Home Inspect The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid have made good on a promise to upload the full texts of 15,000 nursing home inspection reports. Prior to this change, users could use Medicare's online ranking tool Nursing Home ...

Talking or Texting While Driving: Both Are Dangerous, Says Research

2012-11-01

A study recently published in the trade journal "Computers in Human Behavior" indicates that multi-tasking in any form causes a significant decrease in performance of both visual and audio tasks. The research, led by Zheng Wang, Assistant Professor at The Ohio State University School of Communication, shows that performing more than one visual or audio task at a time causes a marked decrease in each of these skills. This has obvious real-world implications. Many people think that having a chat on their cellphone while behind the wheel is a good way to pass ...

Oregon Motorists Still Not Getting the Message About Texting Behind the Wheel

2012-11-01

Distracted driving is an epidemic in Oregon, throughout the Northwest and around the country. While old-fashioned distractions like eating, drinking, grooming and changing the in-car music selection (either by switching CDs or using an mp3 player) continue to play a part in causing traffic accidents, high-tech distractions like handheld cell phones, portable GPS units, tablet computers, e-readers and the ubiquitous text messaging are keeping the fatal accident rate tragically high. According to preliminary data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ...

A Half-Empty Glass: Death on Minnesota Roads

2012-11-01

To the family of someone killed in a traffic accident, it is no consolation to say that traffic fatalities are down overall. The same goes for someone seriously injured. It is true that the overall number of motor vehicle accidents has declined in recent years, both in Minnesota and nationally. However, the sad reality is that there are still far too many serious and fatal car accidents in Minnesota every year. Even more troubling is the fact that so many of these accidents are caused by drunk drivers. Road Deaths Decline Overall In 2011, there were 368 road deaths ...

Winter Weather Poses Hazards for Colorado Workers

2012-11-01

Winter is coming, but in Colorado that doesn't mean that things will be slowing down. Even though the temperatures will drop and the snow will fly, workers will continue to be outside doing their jobs. Still, working during the winter comes with some risks, even for the hardiest outdoor laborers. Exposure to cold weather and slippery conditions has the potential to cause injuries that result in permanent disability. As such, all workers can benefit from reviewing some winter-weather safety tips before the season kicks off into full swing. Work-Related Cold Stress ...

Protect and Retain Intellectual Property When Employees Leave

2012-11-01

Business owners often fret over the loss of competent and essential employees, fearing that these individuals will take with them business trade secrets and other intellectual property. Fortunately, there are several things business owners can do to protect confidential business information and retain good staff. Three Documents that Protect Business Interests Several documents can help businesses protect and retain their intellectual assets when employees move on: - Proprietary Information Agreements: When part of the hiring package, proprietary information agreements ...

Boy Scouts Release 'Perversion Files' Documenting Thousands of Sexual Abuse Cases

2012-11-01

The Boy Scouts of America has a long record of helping boys develop leadership and life skills that allow them to grow into successful young men. However, for all the good it has done, the Boy Scouts also has some questionable marks on its record. Far too many Scouts have been sexually abused by adult leaders in the organization. One only needs to look to the Boy Scouts' recently released "perversion files" to see just how pervasive the problem of sexual abuse really is. Beginning in the 1920s, the Boy Scouts started keeping files of known abusers, ostensibly ...

Study Finds Connection Between Interruptions and Surgical Errors

2012-11-01

A new study by researchers at Oregon State University found that interruptions and distractions in the operating room lead to serious surgical errors among novice surgeons. This finding poses a grave threat to the health of surgery patients who may be seriously injured by distracted or interrupted surgeons. The Oregon State Surgical Error Study The Oregon State University study used a surgery simulation program to record the surgical errors of novice surgeons when they were interrupted or distracted during an operation. The surgeons were in their second, third or ...

Atlanta Nursing Home Financial Abuse

2012-11-01

Many people entrust the care of their elderly loved ones to nursing homes. Unfortunately, there are times when loved ones are subjected to nursing home abuse and neglect. Nursing home abuse can take many forms, including actual abuse and neglect that occurs from poor supervision, inadequate staffing and other factors. But senior citizens who live in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities can be victims of financial abuse as well. Recently, an Atlanta nursing home employee was charged with stealing money from the elderly patients she was hired to protect. The ...

OSHA Fortifies Safety Rules for Demolition and Underground Construction

2012-11-01

In August 2012, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a ruling, which applies the August 2010 safety standard of cranes and derricks to demolition work and underground construction. The considerable number of fatalities associated with the use of cranes and derricks in construction and the advances in equipment since the publication of the old rule led to new revisions. The safety rule will help protect construction workers from the dangers associated with hoisting equipment. The new rule will streamline safety standards. OSHA will apply the same ...

Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Requirements

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: