Being a sex offender can land you on a national registry

The National Sex Offender Public website combines all sex offender lists from the States, Federal government, tribal lands and territorial governments into one complete list. Each of these government entities maintain their own sex offender registry lists. However, this website aggregates all of that information onto a single platform that anyone can access. The website was launched in 2005 as a tool to assist the public.

Anyone may access the website and search for sex offenders using a variety of criteria, including:

  • Searches by names within state borders or nationally.
  • Search by ZIP codes for a list of sex offenders in the area.
  • Search by address, county and city.

The website operates by aggregating information from individual jurisdictions. When you search by jurisdiction, you are directed to the relevant website. So law enforcement remains a local matter. However, individual states can choose to link their sex offender registries to NSOPW. If that occurs, then your name is searchable both on this national database and on the state database.

NSOPW was started as a way to bridge the information gap between the states. Sex offenders can move between the states. Therefore, the federal government set up this website as a way for residents in neighboring states to look up sex offenders from outside their states. If you are charged with a sex crime, you could be connected to this national website. You may want to speak to a criminal defense attorney. Sex crimes carry steep consequences far into the future, including damage to your reputation and potential job prospects. Don’t risk your future by not taking these charges seriously.