Proposal to require all sex offenders
to be listed on internet

Governor George E. Pataki called for legislation to strengthen Megan's Law by providing information to the public about all registered sex offenders on the internet.

"This proposal will help give New York's families and communities the information they need about sex offenders," Pataki said. "Given the risk of recidivism among sex offenders, we must strengthen Megan's Law in order to prevent sex crimes. We can enhance the law by providing important information about every registered sex offender to the public."

The legislation would expand available information of the registry through the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) website. Currently, only information on Level 3 sex offenders is available through the DCJS website. The proposal would expand the Directory of Sex Offenders on the DCJS website to include information about Level 1 and Level 2 sex offenders, in addition to current information available on Level 3 sex offenders.

The information available on the website will depend upon the specific offender's level of risk. For Level 1 offenders, the offender's name will be listed on the website. For Level 2, considerably more information is publicly available under Megan's Law, so instead, the website will include additional information such as the offender's photograph and any special conditions imposed by the court or parole authorities. For Level 2 offenders, approximate address by zip code will also be provided.

There are currently 20,538 people listed on the registry. To access information on the state's Sex Offender Registry, visit the DCJS website at www.criminaljustice.state.ny.us.