Sex offender registration is required in all 50 states. It’s a common practice to ensure that both law enforcement and members of communities all over the country can keep an eye on the sex offenders that live in their vicinity. Doing a New York sex offender search is a great way to make sure that you are on top of the information available about sex offenders in your neighborhood, assuming you live in New York that is. All of the information you need to identify registered sex offenders in your community is available through this registry and finding it is very easy.

Finding the New York Sex Offender Registry the Easiest Way

It’s important for the sex offender registry to be easily accessible to the public. A sex offender registry is a tool for the public so they can be aware of who in their community is a sex offender, so accessibility is one of the highest priorities for it. That means that if you even have a cursory understanding of how to use a search engine you can find it with ease.

The vast majority of people will simply Google “New York sex offender registry.” This method works very well. The official website for the sex offender registry should appear at the top of the search results allowing you to quickly and easily access it. The website is conveniently hosted by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services and the registry is well maintained with regular updates every day.

Once on the website you just have to read and follow the instructions on the webpage and fill out the required field for your preferred search method. Once you enter your search query you’ll have access to all of the information available about sex offenders that match your search parameters. The information provided usually includes name, address, crimes charged, and a picture at a minimum.

The Tragic Origins of Sex Offender Registries

Sex offender registries are relatively new. At the time of writing this article, they haven’t even been around for 30 years in most states. Texas was one of the first steps to require sex offender registration, with their registration laws being passed in 1991. For most of the rest of the country, sex offender registration laws started being enacted in 1996. Most of the states that didn’t pass a sex offender registration law in 1996 passed their own in the early to mid-2000s, mostly around 2005 and 2006.

The reason why most sex offender registrations were created is a very sad one. Young Megan Kanka was raped and murdered by her convicted sex offender neighbor in New Jersey in 1996. Many people realized after this tragedy that giving the public some kind of way to know who in their community is a sex offender is important, as well as the importance of law enforcement keeping an eye on sex offenders. Sex offenders generally have the highest rate of recidivism among all criminals, and keeping track of them makes sure that at least one valid threat to public safety is met with eyes and ears.

Sex Offender Safety in New York.

Staying safe from sex offenders is a major goal for most families and individuals alike. Nobody wants themselves or their loved ones to be victimized by a violent sexual predator who, at best, will inflict trauma that will require years of therapy to heal. Many tragic events have happened at the hands of sexual predators and knowing who in your neighborhood may be planning to target you or your family can help keep you and your loved ones safe. 

***Registered Offenders List is a free online resource that strives to offer helpful content and resources to its visitors regarding registered sex offenders that live near you.