When you are facing criminal charges for a sex crime, one of your concerns might revolve around having to register as a sex offender. This is a very serious aspect of sex crimes that can have a considerable impact on your life. Having to register as a sex offender is a serious responsibility that can send you back to prison if you don’t comply with the requirements.
Registering as a sex offender is something that is dictated by a federal law. The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act was passed in 2006 by Congress as a part of Title I of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act. It applies to all states, including Utah, as well as U.S. territories, Native American tribes and the District of Columbia.
If you are convicted of a sex crime, you are given a tier classification. Each of the three tiers has specific reporting requirements. Tier I is the least serious tier and Tier III is the most serious tier.
Anyone who is classified as a Tier III has to register for life. Tier II requires a 25-year reporting period. Tier I has a reporting period of 10 to 15 years, depending on specific factors like criminal history.
People who don’t register with SORNA as required can face new criminal charges that can lead to incarceration terms of up to 10 to 30 years. Fines are also possible for failure to register as a sex offender.
It is important for you to understand all the penalties that are possible if you are facing sex-related charges. This includes penalties like having to register as a sex offender, which can outlast other aspects of the penalties you face.
Source: FindLaw, “The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act,” accessed Sep. 10, 2015
