Using Megan's Law Information to Commit a Felony

Using Megan's Law Information to Commit a Felonyaddition, civil penalties in the form of money damages
Megan's Law allows law enforcement agencies tomay be added. Using information for the following
collect information about sex offenders, notifying thepurposes is prohibited:
public about sex offender's who pose a risk to the Health insurance
public. The California Department of Justice (DOJ) Insurance
maintains the registered sex offender database. Loans
Pursuant to California Penal Code Section 290, Credit
persons convicted of specified sex crimes are Employment
required to register as sex offenders with a local law Education
enforcement agency. Prior to their release from Scholarships
prison, jail, mental hospital, or on probation, sex Fellowships
offenders are notified in writing of their duty to Housing accommodations
register, and a copy of the notification form is Benefits, privileges, or services provided by
forwarded to the DOJ. When a sex offender isany business.
released into the community, the agency forwardsWhile more than 63,000 people are required to
the registration information to the DOJ. With fewregister in California as sex offenders, approximately
exceptions, the registration requirement is a lifetime25% of registered sex offenders are excluded from
mandate. During annual registration, the registeredpublic disclosure, but known to law enforcement
sex offender is required to verify his or her namepersonnel. Certain offenses allow the person to apply
and address or temporary location. Failure to properlyfor exclusion from the Megan's Law website,
register may be a felony and may count as a "Thirdhowever they must still register as sex offenders.
Strike."The following offenses allow for exclusion:
The type of information released to the public(1) Sexual battery by restraint (Penal Code §
depends on the severity of the conviction.243.4 (a))
Information includes the name, picture, the sex(2) Misdemeanor child molestation (Penal Code §
offenses convicted of, specific home addresses, zip647.6, or former section 647a)
code, city, county, known scars/tattoos, and(3) Any offense which did not involve penetration or
alternate names usedoral copulation, the victim of which was a child,
The information listed on the website cannot be usedstepchild, grandchild, or sibling of the offender, and
to commit a crime. It may be a misdemeanor or afor which the offender successfully completed or is
felony to misuse the information on the web site. Insuccessfully completing probation.