Registration - Or Lack Thereof - Of Convicted Sex Offenders Haunts Our Communities

Prior to March 1994, all information regarding convicted sex offenders could be released to the public in the county where they reside. Following a Supreme Court decision that month, however, guidelines for the release of convicted sex offenders’ names and addresses require law enforcement to show a likelihood to re-offend or be a threat to the community.

In many cases this likelihood cannot be determined until the sex offender has been convicted of another sex offense. Before that, community notification cannot be provided for the public’s protection.

For sex offenders who have been convicted, sentenced and released back into the community under supervision of the Department of Corrections, monitoring is a continual process. But sex offenders who complete their entire sentence and are released will go un-monitored except for a requirement to register their address in the county where they reside and to be tracked by local jurisdictions.

Out-of-state sex offenders who move here are required to register, but if the state he or she is moving from does not notify our law enforcement, the offender will go un-monitored.

If a high-level offender from elsewhere in Washington moves here without notification from the other jurisdiction, the offender will go un-monitored. Many jurisdictions in Washington have officers to provide registration, but no one to track the offender and notify the community.

When a sex offender is released, the Department of Correctiosns may have to assist the offender in finding a suitable place to live that meets the conditions of the offender’s release. Many apartment owners won’t accept a registered sex offender so the offender is reluctant to register for fear of media attention and being kicked out of his place to live. Law enforcement then won’t know where the offender is.

Also, when a sex offender admits to a counselor that he or she has offended multiple times and undergoes treatment, then returns to the community, no adjudicated cases exist. Therefore no registration is required and no community notification can be provided.

Finally, if the sex offender simply fails to register, no tracking can be provided until law enforcement receives this information and charges are filed for failure to register.

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This sidebar appeared with the story: Poindexter works in the sexual exploitation unit of the Spokane Police Department.