Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification
The statutes commonly referred to as "Megan's Law" require information about registered sex offenders to be made public by law enforcement and other authorities. Throughout the 50 states and at the federal level, a number of different laws such as the Jacob Wetterling Act and the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act are intended to protect children and their families from potential sexual abuse by identifying sex offenders and the risks they pose to their communities. If you are concerned about potential sex offenders in your neighborhood, it is important to know about Megan's Law and your rights.
At the law firm of Hartley Hampton, P.C., we believe that the prevention of child sexual abuse begins with the education of parents and other responsible adults about potential pedophiles and sex offenders, as well as the warning signs and resources for reporting child sexual abuse. Megan's Law plays a key role in the prevention of abuse. Attorney Hartley Hampton and our Houston, Texas, law firm remain dedicated to working with survivors of abuse and their families. For more information about our representation of sex abuse victims, contact us for a free initial consultation.
Registered Sex Offender Database
Megan's Law requires that any person who has been convicted of a specific sex offense, including child sexual abuse, must register as a sex offender with the local law enforcement agency. Sex offenders are informed about this requirement prior to being released from prison, and the Department of Justice or equivalent state agency is notified when these offenders are released into the community.
Registered sex offenders must also update their information on an annual basis (or more frequently for some offenders) and are required to make changes to this information if their residence address changes. This information is kept in a sex offender database and includes the offender's name, picture, address, incarceration date and the nature of the crime that was committed. If the sex offender has violated the update requirements, the sex offender database will also show this violation.
Some people who have been convicted of certain sex offenses may apply for exclusion from registering as sex offenders and other sex offenders may deliberately and illegally avoid registration and live in violation of these laws.
If You Have Been Abused, You Are Not Alone
While laws such as Megan's Law have proven successful in preventing some abuse, these laws cannot prevent all abuse from occurring. At the law firm of Hartley Hampton, P.C., we represent survivors of abuse and work to empower victims against their abusers and those who allow abuse to occur in their families or organizations. If you have been abused, speak with an experienced, compassionate lawyer about your situation and get the help you need to reclaim your life.
Call us in Houston at 713-574-8660 or toll free at 866-635-0811.
