|
Overview of Registration/Community Notification Laws
~ARS §13-3821, Sex Offender Registration
Requires persons convicted of specific offenses to register as sex offenders. These offenses include those committed in Arizona as well as in other states’ jurisdictions. There are several specific requirements regarding registration as a sex offender. Arizona law requires offenders convicted of registerable sex offenses to register with the county sheriff of the county of residence upon release from custody. Updated registrations are required upon any change to initial registration information. Additionally, at the time of initial registration and every year thereafter, registerable sex offenders must obtain a one year limited term driver’s license or identification card from the Motor Vehicle Division of the Department of Transportation.
~ARS §13-3825, Community Notification
Became effective June 1, 1996 and provides authority for law enforcement to notify the community of a Registered Sex Offender’s initial address and every address change thereafter. Notification applies to: all convicted Registerable sex offenders upon release from every confinement and those accepted under Arizona Interstate Compact for supervision of Parolees & Probationers upon arrival into the state.
In 1995, the Arizona Legislature enacted the statute to
enable the community to be notified of the presence of certain convicted sex
offenders upon their release from prison or placement on probation. The
statute's effective date was delayed until June 1, 1996, to allow a Community
Notification Guidelines Committee to make recommendations to
the Legislature for the statute's implementation. The Community Notification
Guidelines Committee includes statewide representatives from Arizona law
enforcement agencies, the Legislature, corrections, probation, county attorney's
offices, the Attorney General's office, and mental health professionals.
The Community Notification Guidelines Committee developed a
system which permitted local law enforcement agencies to provide notification in
a progressive manner, proportionately increasing the scope and nature of
information provided to the public, depending upon the risk level ascertained
from completion of the validated Arizona risk assessment tool. The instrument is
modeled after a similar assessment tool which was developed by the State of
Minnesota for the same purpose. The notification system consists of three risk
levels, with one being the lowest and level three is highest.
In Arizona, community notification is completed by the law
enforcement agency having jurisdiction in the community in which the offender
resides (police department, sheriff). Although ADC conducts initial assessments
prior to the inmate’s release from custody; the law agency having jurisdiction
in the community of registrant’s address has the final authority regarding
notification level and therefore generally completes their own assessment.
To access ARS §13-3821, 13-3825 follow link to:
http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ArizonaRevisedStatutes.asp?Title=13
Return to Frequently Asked Questions
Return to Community Corrections
|
