Thought You Were Done Paying the Price?
Sex crimes are among the most serious crimes in the nation, especially when they involve children. Thus, people who are convicted of sex crimes must register as sex offenders in order to protect the public. For example, if a family with young children move next door to a previously convicted sex offender, they have the right to know about their neighbor’s criminal past for the sake of their family’s safety and well-being.
What Is Megan’s Law & CSAR?
Megan’s Law is a federal law that requires the California Department of Justice (DOJ) to notify the public about certain registered sex offenders. As mentioned earlier, the purpose of Megan’s Law is to keep the public safe. The California Sex and Arson Registry (CSAR) database is a source containing the information required under Megan’s Law, and the following details about the offender are available to the public:
- Known aliases
- Date of birth
- Sex
- Eye & hair color
- Height
- Weight
- Ethnicity
- Offense code description
- Last reported address
- Scars/marks/tattoos
In California, registrants are prohibited from searching the sex offender registry or they may suffer a $1,000 fine and/or up to six months in jail. In other words, you can suffer more penalties on top of the ones you already endured.
Post-Prison Penalties
It’s fair to argue that even when you served the time and paid the fines, you’re never really set free from legal consequences when convicted of a sex crime. Any member of the public can view your personal details at their convenience, which essentially means you lose the freedom to privacy after you’re released from prison. Although the public is legally prohibited from harassing you and your family, among other things, you can’t enjoy the peace of mind that you thought you’d have after suffering prison time and fines.
On top of that, you may have limited housing options because you may be forced to live away from schools, parks, or communities with a high population of children. You may be denied housing due to your conviction alone, not just because of schools and parks nearby. Further, you may experience obstacles getting a job, as employers do not want or trust employees who have a criminal history, regardless of how long ago the offense took place.
Depending on the type of offense you’re convicted of, your registry time will include:
- Tier 1: Minimum 10 years registration period
- Tier 2: Minimum 20 years registration period
- Tier 3: Lifetime registration period
Don’t let a sex crime charge ruin your life. You have legal options and rights which must be protected at all costs. You not only need our legal representation during your case, but after as well. This is because we can negotiate to reduce your registration period time or get it dismissed altogether, meaning you won’t have to suffer a lack of privacy and limited access to housing, jobs and education.
Experience the difference of having a former prosecutor on your side. Contact the Law Office of Brian C. Andritch at (559) 484-2112 now!