Concerned parents are speaking out about the City of Temple's lax regulations on where convicted sex offenders can live.
25 News is looking into how you can better understand the Texas Sex Offender Registry.
The Texas Sex Offender Registration Program (Chapter 62 of the Code of Criminal Procedure) is a sex offender registration and public notification law designed to protect the public from sex offenders.
This law requires adult and juvenile sex offenders to register with the local law enforcement authority of the city they reside in or, if the sex offender does not reside in a city, with the local law enforcement authority of the county they reside in.
Any person (1) with a "reportable conviction or adjudication," (2) required to register as a condition of parole or release to mandatory supervision, (3) required to register as a condition of community supervision, or (4) is an “extrajurisdictional registrant” must register as a sex offender.
You can search the registry by address, registrant name, or institute of higher education.
This database contains all information provided to Texas local law enforcement authorities by sex offenders required to register.
State law specifically makes most information in this database freely available to the public.
DPS says it cannot guarantee the records you obtain through this site relate to the person about whom you are seeking information.
The registry categorizes offenders based on their risk level.
There are three different risk levels:
- Level one (low): indicates that the person poses a low danger to the community and will not likely engage in criminal sexual conduct.
- Level two (moderate): indicates that the person poses a moderate danger to the community and may continue to engage in criminal sexual conduct.
- Level three (high): indicates that the person poses a serious danger to the community and will continue to engage in criminal sexual conduct.
The Texas Department of Public Safety says if a high risk sex offender or a civilly committed sexually violent predator moves into a community, they will notify the community by mailing to each residence and business in the community a postcard containing information about the offender or predator.
Notices of status change, registration, and verification are included in each case, and shows the date and agency the offender reported to.
Some information about the offense that landed them on the registry is also available.
DPS says anyone who uses any information on this website to injure, harass, or for any other unlawful purpose may be subject to criminal prosecution or civil liability.
