Sex Offender

Michigan State Police officers at the Lansing post say they've been swamped during the past two weeks. They've been processing and verifying addresses for registered sex offenders.

While state law requires all sex offenders to report a change of address or verify their current residence with the local police by January 15, 2003, police say more than 1,300 sex offenders have failed to do so.

Police say those people are lost in the system - living somewhere other than the address they've reported to the police department. They say if those individuals are caught, they could face misdemeanor or felony charges.

MSP officials say they don't have the time or the manpower to track down all sex offenders and make sure they are living at the residence they've reported to the police. However, they say the public can help report sex offenders and their addresses to the police department.

For more information about the sex offender registry, log on to www.mipsor.mi.state.us

wilx.com: Extended Web Coverage

Michigan Sex Offenders Facts

• Offenders who have been convicted of a listed offense on or after Oct. 1, 1995, or those persons who were convicted prior to that date who were still incarcerated, on parole or probation for a listed offense on Oct. 1, 1995 must be registered.

• Offenders are required to register at the time of conviction, prior to sentencing.

• Offenders convicted of a misdemeanor listed offense must report to a local law enforcement agency and verify their address yearly, during Jan. 1 through Jan. 15 of each year. Failure to do so is a misdemeanor.

• Offenders convicted of a felony listed offense must report to a local law enforcement agency and verify their address quarterly, during the first 15 days of January, April, July, and October. Failure to do so is a misdemeanor.

• Offenders must also report a change of address within10 days. Failure to do so is a felony.

• Depending upon the charge, offenders will remain on the Sex Offender Registry (SOR) for 25 years, or for life. (Offenders released from prison must remain on the list for a minimum of 10 years. For example, if an offender served 20 years in prison for a listed offense, upon release he/ she would have to remain on the SOR for 10 years).

Getting More Details

• There are several ways to get more specific details of the offense. If you know the offense was committed locally, you should contact the county clerk’s office and request to see the court file.

• If you do not know where the offense was committed, you must request a criminal history record (CHR) on the offender. It will show the convictions and the counties in which these offenses occurred, which will allow you to then contact the county clerk’s office in that county to attempt to gain further information.

• Although if the offender has a sealed or expunged record, or if the offender was convicted in another state, those convictions will not be present on the criminal history.

• To get a CHR you must include the offender’s name and date of birth (social security # and/ or driver’s license # if known) and your return address (where you want the criminal history record sent) along with a check or money order for $10 made payable to the State of Michigan to:
  Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center
  Attn: Applicant Team
  7150 Harris Drive
  Lansing, MI 48913

Source: http://michiganstartpages.com/michigan/government/ sexoffenders.htm (The Michigan State Police Sex offender Registry Web site) contributed to this report.