In
1992, the Louisiana legislature enacted this state's first law mandating the
registration of persons convicted of sex offenses and offenses against victims
who are minors. The registration was
done by local law enforcement agencies.
The sheriff’s offices and police departments receiving sex offender
registration information were required to forward the offender's fingerprints
and related information to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections,
Office of State Police, Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information (the
Bureau). The Bureau was charged with
maintaining a central registry of sex offenders and child predators. The registry was initially
established as a manual reporting and retrieval system.
In
October of 1994, Congress enacted the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children
and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act (the Wetterling Act). In broad terms, the Wetterling Act
set guidelines for the state sex offender registration programs. States had
three years from the enactment of the law to bring their registration programs
into compliance with these federal standards.
The Wetterling Act originally restricted release and dissemination of
registration information.
The brutal 1994 rape and murder of seven-year-old Megan Kanka prompted a public
demand for broad based community notification of the location of known sexual
predators. In 1996, Congress passed
“Megan’s Law” which amended the Wetterling Act to provide for release of
registration information in accordance with state laws. On May 17, 1996, President Clinton
signed “Megan’s Law”. Soon thereafter, Louisiana
enacted sexual predator and sex offender registration and notification laws. Megan’s Law requires the following
two components:
-
Sex offender Registration
-
Community Notification
Megan’s Law allows States to establish criteria for disclosure and compels them
to make private and personal information on registered sex offenders available
to the public. The primary
responsibility of keeping track of sex offenders and child predators located in
Louisiana lies with the Louisiana State Police.
You can learn more about the program and limitations placed on sex
offenders at the Louisiana State Police Website
http://www.lsp.org/socpr/default.html
.
During the 1997 Regular Legislative Session, Act
1147 was passed by the Louisiana Legislature amending this state's existing sex
offender registration laws to bring them into conformity with the provisions of
the Jacob Wetterling Act, Megan's Law, and the Pam Lyncher Act.
In
June of 2006, Congress enacted the Adam Walsh Act.
On January 1, 2008 Louisiana legislature
amended the state's existing sex offender registration laws to bring them into
conformity with the provisions of the new Adam Walsh Act.
The amendments also mandate that a
central registry of sex offenders be maintained by the Department of Public
Safety and Corrections, Office of State Police, Bureau of Criminal
Identification and Information (the Bureau). This
registry is known as the "State Sex Offender and Child Predator Registry".
The Bureau is also mandated to
participate in the National Sex Offender Registry.
As a community service, the JPSO has teamed with the Louisiana State Police and
OffenderWatch® to provide the citizens of Jefferson Parish with a quick
and easy way to identify any sex offenders who may be residing near their home. You may confidentially register as a
user and we will update you with information on any addresses you may be
concerned about. This service is
provided to you free of charge.
Click here
for
access to the JPSO Sex Offender portal
page
BASIC OVERVIEW OF SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
Who must
register?
If convicted of a sex offense on or after June 18,
1992, or committed prior to June 18, 1992, if the person, as a result of the
offense, is under the custody of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections
on or after June 18, 1992.
Also if convicted under the laws of another state,
or military, territorial, foreign, tribal, or federal law which is equivalent to
an offense equivalent to an offense in the state of Louisiana.
The offender must register with State Police, the
Sheriff’s Office and the local police department.
(See LA RS 15:541)
Information Collected
Name and any aliases used by the offender, Address of offender’s place of
residence upon release from confinement, Crime for which the offender was
convicted and entire criminal history, Date and place of conviction, SSN;
Photograph, Fingerprints, DNA, Other such information needed to carry out the
purposes of the law.
Additional Requirements
The offender must register within 3 business days
of release from prison or within 3 business days of entering the state of
Louisiana or changing his or her address.
The requirement for registration lasts for 15
years, 25 years or, in the case of violent predators, the requirement is
lifetime.