Sex Offender Registry Search
The U.S. Department of Justice reports that there are more than 500,000 registered Sex Offenders nationwide. According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, the recidivism rate for sex crimes is four times higher than for other offenses. Recidivism is defined as a tendency to lapse into a previous pattern of behavior, especially a pattern of criminal habits.
Based on the statistical information available, companies should be encouraged to perform this search to rule out the potential of hiring someone with a past history of sexual offenses. Performing this check on applicants helps reduce a company's risk of workplace violence and potential negligent hiring or retention lawsuits.
The Sex Offender Registry is a system in place in a number of jurisdictions designed to allow
government authorities to keep track of the residence and activities of
sex offenders, including those who have completed their criminal
sentences. In many jurisdictions registered sex offenders
are subject to additional restrictions, including housing. Those on
parole or probation may be subject to restrictions that don't apply to
other parolees or probationers. Sometimes these include (or have been proposed to include) restrictions
on being in the presence of minors, living in proximity to a school or
day care center, or owning toys or other items of interest to minors.
Sex Offenders Statistics
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Within 3 years of release, 2.5% of released rapists were rearrested
for another rape, and 1.2% of those who had served time for homicide
were arrested for a new homicide.
- Sex offenders were less likely than non-sex offenders to be
rearrested for any offense –– 43% of sex offenders versus 68% of non-sex
offenders.
- Sex offenders were about four times more likely than non-sex
offenders to be arrested for another sex crime after their discharge
from prison –– 5.3% of sex offenders versus 1.3% of non-sex offenders.
- On a given day in 1994 there were approximately 234,000 offenders
convicted of rape or sexual assault under the care, custody, or control
of corrections agencies; nearly 60% of these sex offenders are under
conditional supervision in the community.
- The median age of the victims of imprisoned sexual assaulters was
less than 13 years old; the median age of rape victims was about 22
years
- An estimated 24% of those serving time for rape and 19% of those
serving time for sexual assault had been on probation or parole at the
time of the offense for which they were in State prison in 1991.
- Of the 9,691 male sex offenders released from prisons in 15 States
in 1994, 5.3% were rearrested for a new sex crime within 3 years of
release.
- Of released sex offenders who allegedly committed another sex crime,
40% perpetrated the new offense within a year or less from their prison
discharge.
- Approximately 4,300 child molesters were released from prisons in 15
States in 1994. An estimated 3.3% of these 4,300 were rearrested for
another sex crime against a child within 3 years of release from prison.
- Among child molesters released from prison in 1994, 60% had been in prison for molesting a child 13 years old or younger.
- Offenders who had victimized a child were on average 5 years older
than the violent offenders who had committed their crimes against
adults. Nearly 25% of child victimizers were age 40 or older, but about
10% of the inmates with adult victims fell in that age range.
Common uses: - To identify past sex offender crimes for individuals who will interact with sensitive populations.
- Education, Health Care and Non-Profit Industries