Predatory Offender Registration
Why are there different levels of Predatory Offenders and what do they mean?
The State of Minnesota began registering predatory offenders in 1991. Community notification did not begin until January 1, 1997. Only those offenders who have been sentenced to prison and who were released after January 1, 1997, have been assigned a risk level.
- Level I - Level I Predatory Offenders are determined to be those felt least likely to re-offend after completion of their sentence. Level I offenders are not made public to anyone. This data is considered “Private Data” and their names are not releasable.
- Level II -Level II Predatory Offenders are considered as possible re-offenders and notification of their residing in an area is given to residences/facilities in the person’s immediate area that may be at risk from his/her proximity----such as a daycare house or school.
- Level III -Level III Predatory Offenders are considered the most likely to re-offend. When they move into a neighborhood a public informational meeting is held to inform the public as to who the person is, what their level of offense is, and the approximate area in which they live. This meeting is conducted by local law enforcement and Department of Corrections staff.
How can I find out about Level III Predatory Offenders in my area?
The Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Registry is now active. The National Sex Offender Public Registry, coordinated by the Department of Justice, is a cooperative effort between the state agencies hosting public sexual offender registries and the federal government. This web site is a search tool allowing a user to submit a single national query to obtain information about sex offenders through a number of search options:
- By Name
- By ZIP Code
- By County (if provided by state)
- By City/Town (if provided by state)
- By State (one or multiple)
- National
The criteria for searching are limited to what each individual state may provide. Also, because information is hosted by each state and not by the federal government, search results should be verified by the user in the state where the information is posted. Users are advised to log on to pertinent state web sites for further information and/or guidance, as appropriate.
In the State of Minnesota, information concerning registered Level III predatory offenders is available at the Minnesota Department of Corrections website.
Their website contains public information on Level IIII predatory offenders in accordance with Minnesota Statute 244.054, which permitted the release of information about certain offenders in Minnesota. This information is made available to citizens about the possible presence of such offenders in their local communities.
How can I find out about predatory offenders who have failed to report?
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) launched a new online tool that provides information about registered offenders who have fallen out of compliance with registration requirements. Through the new Web site, the public will also be able to provide anonymous tips to authorities about where offenders may currently live and work.
Earlier in 2006, Governor Pawlenty announced a statewide effort to identify, locate and apprehend predatory offenders who have failed to comply with state registration requirements. As part of this effort, the Governor announced that the BCA would post on the Internet all non-compliant offenders so the public would know who is in violation of the terms of release.
To be included on the Web site, offenders must meet several criteria, including being non-compliant for at least 30 days and being older than age 16. Non-compliant offenders are those whose registrations are not current – either because they haven’t submitted their annual paperwork or because they have moved or changed jobs and haven’t reported those changes to local law enforcement.
The Web site includes the photo, age and last known location for each offender. The site will be continually updated as offenders return to compliance and others become non-compliant.
To visit the site, point your browser to https://por.state.mn.us .
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