Information regarding the sex offenders’ registry in Florida

Sexual offenders who live and/or work in Florida must register on the state’s sex offender registry, and meet deadlines when changing information.

Even after sexual offenders have served their time in prison and fulfilled the terms of any other legal penalties inflicted on them by the court of law, they must still follow certain protocols once they are released back into society. Florida residents who have been convicted of sex crimes must register on the state’s official sex offender registry for the rest of their lives, as directed by Florida law. People who fail to register on the sex offenders list or who do not register within the set time limits may face additional legal consequences.

This is what happened to a Georgia man who was convicted of cruelty to children and child molestation, according to WCTV News. After the man was told that he needed to register in Florida as a sex offender if he was to ever work or live in the state, he failed to do so. Florida state law clearly maintains that sex offenders have 48 hours to register on the state’s sex offender list after moving to a new home or place of employment within the state. The 53-year-old was taken into custody, as he had been working and living in Tallahassee for almost six months.

Providing basic information

According to the Florida State legislature, people convicted of a sex crime must provide basic information regarding their weight, race, sex, height, date of birth, address, phone number and vehicle information to local county law enforcement officials. Furthermore, they must provide information regarding their place of employment, passport, professional licenses, immigration status and fingerprints. Not only is the person required to present this data to the local sheriff’s office in the county in which they reside, but they must also report to sheriff headquarters in the county where they work, go to school or have any other residences.

In addition to the initial registration, offenders must continue to update their information at least two to four times a year, depending on the type of crime they committed. If the offender moves to another residence, changes jobs or switches schools, he or she has 48 hours to register with the county sheriff’s office. It may be a good idea for people to retain evidence of their registry in case something should happen.

Rules of residence

People who have been convicted of a sex crime may be limited on where they can live if their victim was younger than 16 years old, according to Florida Statute. These offenders must stay at least 1,000 feet away from any type of child care center, playground, park or school. There may be exceptions if an offender is already living in a house and a park, playground, school or daycare center is constructed within 1,000 feet of the residence.

When to contact an attorney

If you have been charged with a sex crime, have been wrongfully convicted or need assistance in registering as a sex offender, a defense attorney may be extremely helpful. With a thorough knowledge of Florida state and federal laws, a defense attorney may be able to ensure you are on the right track to getting your life back in order.

Keywords: sex, crime, offense. penalties