Questions
Who maintains the sex offender and public protection registry?
Where can I learn more about the North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Registration Programs? Where can I find safety tips for my children? Can I request to be notified if a registered offender moves into my neighborhood? I want to share information I found on the Registry. Does the law prohibit me from sharing this information? What should I do if I think an offender is not registered, or if I think the information contained in the registry is inaccurate? How do I access information about sex offenders listed in other states? What happens if an offender fails to register or fails to verify their address? Who do I contact if I have more questions?
Answers
Who maintains the sex offender and public protection registry?
North Carolina law requires sex offenders who have been convicted of certain offenses to register with their county sheriff. The sheriff collects information from the offender and court documents. The sheriff then enters the information into the Registry database. This information is available on a county wide basis at the sheriff’s office. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation takes certain information submitted by the sheriffs in all 100 counties in the state and makes it available to the public via the Sex Offender Registry website.Where can I learn more about the North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Registration Programs?
The North Carolina Sheriffs' Association publication The Sex Offender & Public Protection Registration Programs" provides an overview of the programs. The North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Registration Programs are codified in Article 27A of Chapter 14 of the North Carolina General Statutes. These statutes may be accessed via the North Carolina General Assembly’s Web Site.Where can I find safety tips for my children?
The North Carolina Department of Public Safety website has information for parents, guardians, educators, and law enforcement, including Internet safety tips, an Internet safety video and resource guide, how to schedule a child safety presentation, and information on school safety.Can I request to be notified if a registered offender moves into my neighborhood?
Visit the site to learn more about protecting our children.
www.ncdps.gov
You can sign up to receive an email notification when a sex offender reports moving to a North Carolina address within 1, 3, or 5 miles of your home. In fact, you can register multiple North Carolina addresses which will enable you to be alerted when an offender reports moving to a North Carolina address within 1, 3, or 5 miles of any of the locations you register. This enables citizens to sign up to receive email notification if an offender moves near their homes, children’s daycare centers, grandparents homes, etc.I want to share information I found on the Registry. Does the law prohibit me from sharing this information?
Information on the website is considered public record. This information is made available for purposes of protecting the public, for increasing awareness, for keeping the public informed and for allowing citizens to take proactive measures to ensure safety in their communities.What should I do if I think an offender is not registered, or if I think the information contained in the registry is inaccurate?
Use and/or misuse of this information by individuals, groups or entities to commit criminal acts (to include, but not limited to, threats, intimidation, stalking, harassment) against other persons is subject to criminal prosecution.
You may wish to consult with your own legal counsel prior to advertising or posting of information about offenders.
Please remember the following:
- Because of certain North Carolina General Statute provisions, juvenile offenders adjudicated delinquent of sexually violent offenses are not included in the public Sex Offender Registry.
- The Registry does not include information on those individuals whose sexually violent behavior has not come to the attention of authorities.
- Not every sex offender is required to register.
- Portions of the registry information, and therefore its reliability, are based on information provided by the offender. For example, the offender reports his address, whether they are a student, etc.
- The SBI and county sheriffs attempt to ensure that Registry information is accurate and current. Although the database is updated regularly, information can change quickly.
- Positive identification of a person you believe to be a sex offender can only be made by a fingerprint comparison between that person and the person in the state registry. Other information such as name, date of birth, and other information are not necessarily unique to one individual.
Contact the county sheriff and provide as much detailed information as possible so the sheriff can look into the matter.How do I access information about sex offenders listed in other states?
Information on other state registries can be found through various advocacy groups, or through the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI’s) National Sex Offender Registry.What happens if an offender fails to register or fails to verify their address?
- State Registry websites: https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/sex-offender-registry
- National Sex Offender Public Registry: https://www.nsopw.gov
A person who is required to register is guilty of a Class F felony if they:Who do I contact if I have more questions?Any law enforcement officer who is aware of the violation shall immediately arrest the person or seek an order for the person's arrest.
- Fail to register
- Fail to notify the last registering sheriff of a change of address
- Fail to return a verification notice
- Forge or submit under false pretenses the information or verification notices required
Contact your county sheriff’s office or local law enforcement agency.