St. Paul Sex Crimes Lawyer Talks Challenges of Being a Registered Sex Offender.
Having to register as a sex offender in Minnesota comes with a whole series of challenges few who must face the issue have ever considered. Not only do you have to deal with the potential jail and prison side but there may be a whole set of other challenges with registering as a sex offender including job issues, housing issues, telling your family, friends, limitations on access to children, restrictions on where you can live, future access to your phone, computer and much much more. The potential for violating and failing to fulfill any one of these requirements can have catastrophic consequences. However, what is critical is to have Defense counsel who understands the challenges before you even face them. Jack Rice Defense understands the challenges. We’ve seen it many times.
People who are required to register as sex offenders are required to register with local police and to let them know immediately when they change their living arrangements. In addition, it is also frequently required to disclose to employers and to landlords about the registration requirements. This in itself has become extraordinarily burdensome as the likelihood to get employment after these kinds of convictions and registration requirements only gets worse. In addition, the same is absolutely true when it comes to housing. It has been Jack Rice Defense’s experience that many people who are required to register have had extraordinary problems in finding house. You may also be required to tell family, loved ones, and others with whom you have regular contact. There are other even more onerous requirements. As it applies to the police, part of the challenge is the police have the right to disclose convictions and some of your sex offender registration information to a wide range of people including employers, landlords and simply to citizens in the community.
The police in Minnesota have the right and even obligation to release a lot of personal information about somebody who is a registered sex offender if they say it will enhance public safety according to a Minnesota Statute 244.052. This law goes back almost 25 years and is designed to protect the public. Much of this information can also be released at public meetings. All of these same requirements and policies have a tendency of pushing the person required to register even further into the fringes and makes it ever more difficult to restart their life and become a successful member of society.
The amount of information and to whom it is released depends upon the risk assessment of the person who is required to register. There are three levels of offenders:
Level 1: The police can contact other law enforcements and any victims and any witnesses.
Level 2: Besides the requirements of Level 1, the police may notify schools and daycares and organizations and establishments that service possible victims. This nebulous descriptions opens up the possibilities of who can be notified dramatically.
Level 3: Besides Levels 1 and 2, the police can notify almost anybody the person required to register may have any contact with whatsoever.
If you are facing criminal sexual conduct charges (CSC) in Minnesota or other Sex Crimes that may require registration, it is critical that you have counsel by your side who understands what you are facing. Without that, you really won’t know what you are up against. Jack Rice Defense has fought these kinds of cases for decades and has successfully represented many clients. For a free consultation, just reach out.