What are sex offender and crimes against minors registry?
The Sex Offenders and Crimes against Minors Registry is a tool which aids the government, court of law, and the law enforcement agencies to protect a community or the families of the community from Sexual Offenders and to protect the children from falling victims to the sexual assaults or criminal offenders. The registry also helps to prevent these individuals from working directly with the children and hence keep a tab on these criminals to make sure that they are under close scrutiny.
Who is required to register in this registry?
There are two major types of the offenders who are required to be registered in the Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry.
- All the people who are convicted – inclusive of underage criminals/juveniles – who are tried and convicted in the court and are sentenced as sexual offenders or minor sexual offenders – those who commit sexual assault on those below the age of 18 years. Such individuals who are doing their sentences in such a conviction are required to have themselves registered in a sex offender and crimes against minors registry. Similarly, all the people who are under the community supervision or any other similar form of supervision, regarding similar convictions are required to register – and re-register if required – to the registry for sexual offenders and crimes against minors.
- All those who are fulfilling the necessities of a Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry Act shall be required to apply as required by their offence and sentence given by the court of law.
How long is the duration of registration requirement?
All those who are told to register or re-register by the court, or as per their sentences given by the court of law in respect to their sexual assault are required to register for an initial period of 15 years, starting from the date of registration or from the date of his last conviction for a sexual assault violation – whichever among the two is the longer period.
This is true for every individual who is required to register as per the court’s orders to the sex offender and crimes against the minors registry – tier I except with those individuals who are convicted of murder, and murder linked to sexual assault – tier II. Those who are sentenced to tier II convictions would have to register for life as per the law of Virginia. Unless the criminal offender is a juvenile, who could put forward a petition for the removal of his name from the registry after 25 years.
Furthermore, a case of confinement in an institution, governmental or law enforcement agency’s during the 10 year period would affect the registration period and the requirement of the registration would increase accordingly. All those who are in confinement would have to reregister themselves once they are free from the confinement and the period of required registration would start from the re-registry after the confinement.
Removal of name and from Registry
The name of a convict of sexual assault can only be removed from the registry only after a petition for the removal of name is approved by the court of law for individuals in tier I only. Also, a petition could not be filed before completion of 10 years requirement of the name in the registry.