How much would you like to add some extra paperwork to your life? And would you like to back that up with the threat of legal consequences if you don’t do it? And what if your reward for all this paperwork was the scorn and distrust of your neighbors and peers?
If that doesn’t sound like a winning proposition, you should keep yourself out of the Indiana sex offender registry. What is the registry? There’s an online portal that allows you to check the names of all listed offenders near you. But the registry is more than an online list of convicts.
24 points of entry
The registry holds the names of more than just rapists and those convicted of sexual assault. It’s a full list of all “sex or violent offenders” within Indiana. As a twist, that list includes people convicted of crimes that may not have been at all sexual in nature.
As you’d expect, the registry notes all those convicted of crimes such as rape, sexual battery and sexual misconduct with a minor. However, it also holds the names of those convicted for:
- Murder
- Voluntary manslaughter
- Sexual misconduct with a minor
- Possession of child pornography
- Performing sexual acts in the presence of a minor
Altogether, there are 22 crimes that can stick someone with the label of sex or violent offender. Then there are two more provisions. One is for anyone caught in an “attempt or conspiracy” to commit one of the 22 listed crimes. The other is for anyone convicted of a similar crime in a different state.
The burden of belonging
There are already plenty of reasons to fight any sex crime charges that you might wrongfully face. But the threat of having your name added to the Indiana sex offender registry is another good reason to want your name cleared.
Anyone designated a sex or violent offender gets stuck with new rules. They are forced to:
- Register anytime they move to a new county
- Register for shorter stays, such as a work trip that lasts one week
- Pay for hardware to track their internet use
- Consent to searches of their computers
- Follow several laws that don’t apply to other people
This last point is worth noting. It means that if your lover is 17 and sexts you, you could face charges of child pornography. A conviction would then leave you unable to work or volunteer in a school or near a park. You might have to move. And the government gets to check your online chats.
Protect your future
The registry is just one more reason that anyone facing sex crime charges should want to muster a solid defense. At Kammen & Moudy, LLC, we understand that a conviction means far more than the fines and prison time someone may face. Other consequences may haunt convicts for years or decades, and that knowledge inspires our attorneys to challenge every aspect of their cases.