Many types of criminal offenses can lead to sex offender registry. It is crucial to recognize the sex offender laws that apply to any relevant case. Failure to comply with registration requirements can lead to increased legal penalties and a lengthier registration requirement. Failure to adhere to these regulations may also increase the time before an individual may deregister from the state sex offender registry.
The sex offender laws in Texas exist to inform the public of known sex offenders and protect them from victimization. Sex offender registry laws also place several restrictions on registered offenders to prevent them from living in, working in, or visiting places where they may be likely to commit sex offenses. For example, a person convicted of a sexual crime in Texas against a child will likely face a complete ban on any type of employment in any school or childcare settings and will likely need to find a residence away from local schools, daycare centers, or playgrounds. If you have been charged with a sex crime in Texas, contact our offices today.
Sex offender registration program in Texas can either carry for a 10 year period or for a lifetime. A 10 year period registration means that the charges carried had no sexual contact involved. Some examples include online solicitation of a minor, second offense for indecent exposure, and prostitution. While it may seem like a sentence for a 10 year registration is only 10 years, that may not be the case. It means that after you have served your sentence, the 10 years begin. An example is if you are given deferred adjudication for 10 years, you will have to register as deferred for 10 years and then once that is over, you have to register for another 10 years as the law states.
A lifetime registration sentence means that you will have to be listed on the sex offender registration forever. Lifetime registration is for higher offenses that involve sexual contact such as sexual abuse of children, aggravated kidnapping with the intent of commiting sexual acts, production/distribution of child pornography, and more.
Every local jurisdiction in Texas maintains sex offender registry information to protect the public and track known offenders. In some cases, these jurisdictions may publicly publish sex offender information or create publicly accessible databases for local residents to check on known local sex offenders. Most local law enforcement agencies will send out community warnings by mail if a known high-risk sex offender moves into the area. These warnings usually contain information for alleging complaints, best practices, and other useful information for residents in the area.
| City | Sex Offender Registry Info Links |
|---|---|
| Houston | Sex Offender Database |
| San Antonio | Registration & Park Safety Zones |
| Dallas | Police Sex Offender Management |
| Austin | Sex Offenders Search |
| Fort Worth | Sex Offender Registration and Tracking |
In recent years, there have been many changes to sex offender registry laws at the state and federal levels. For example, several previously convicted sex offenders in Texas who had taken plea deals in exchange for deregistration after a set amount of time learned that new laws required them to register for life.
Texas laws have evolved over time with an emphasis on public safety, requiring people who have committed heinous sex offenses to register for increasingly longer periods of time or permanently depending on individual case details. Some argue that these changes unfairly affect those who accepted plea deals under previous laws, but lawmakers justifiably argue that public safety and preventing more victims of sex crimes trumps the personal freedoms of convicted sex offenders.
Texas law requires some offenders who commit serious sex crimes to register as sex offenders for life. Others who committed less serious offenses may need to register for ten years or more, and still others may need to register for individually assigned time periods based on their assessed levels of personal risk in the eyes of the court.
The Texas Sex Offender Registration Program requires all convicted sex offenders to register with their local police departments as a condition of probation. It is crucial for anyone required to register to do so as soon as possible. Failure to comply with a requirement to register as a sex offender can lead to a revocation of probation and possibly even jail time and additional penalties.
Texas law requires individuals to register as sex offenders if they meet specific criteria. Firstly, anyone with a reportable adjudication or conviction must register as required by law. Anyone who received parole or probation contingent upon sex offender registration must also register. Some offenders must register as a condition of community-level supervision, and extra-jurisdictional registrants must also register in Texas for qualifying offenses. The Texas Department of Public Safety will determine if an individual’s out-of-state adjudications or convictions qualify for sex offender registration in Texas.
If you fail to register as a sex offender and follow the requirements of registration, you will be charged with the felony “Failure to Register.” The level of punishment depends on the act that led to the sex offender registration.
A convicted sex offender has seven days after completing a registration form from their local law enforcement to report back with their proof of identity and residential address. They must also sign the form as verification that all the information provided is authentic. For those who thought they completed everything but missed a step or waited longer than a week, they may be charged with Failure to Register as a sex offender, a felony charge.
Each person who is convicted as a sex offender is also given a risk level. These risk levels include:
Depending on a sex offender’s risk level, type of offense, and number of prior convictions, can determine how often registration needs to occur. Most offenders have to report and re-register once a year. A quarter of sex offenders report and re-register every 90 days. For those who have been civilly committed as a sexually violent predator, they have to report and re-register every 30 days.
The requirement to register as a sex offender can have profound effects on the offender’s life, but it is important to remember that these terms and conditions intend to preserve public safety and discourage repeat offenses.
| Restrictions | Regulations |
|---|---|
| Travel restriction | Some registered sex offenders may need to remain in a specific location or secure special permission to travel outside of their home states. According to the Texas State Department of Corrections, if an offender committed an offense against a minor, they won’t be able to use their current passport. They need to get a new passport branded and marked with a statement identifying them as a sex offender. |
| Residency restriction | Many sex offenders face limited options for housing. They may need to reside a certain distance from schools, daycares, parks, and playgrounds. |
| Community event restrictions | Many sex offenders will not have permission to participate in community events as either organizers or participants. |
| Employment restrictions | Most sex offenders will face employment restrictions that bar them from certain jobs such as bus driver, taxi, or limo service, unsupervised residency services, education careers, and even amusement park ride operators. |
| Internet access | Sex offenders who committed digital crimes such as downloading and sharing digital child pornography may face a ban on the creation of social media profiles or may have to forgo internet access entirely. |
| Contact with minors | A sex offender who committed a crime against a child may need to find alternative housing arrangements if living with family members would mean living with children in the house. |
| Voting restriction | A convicted sex offender who committed a felony sex offense may lose his or her voting rights until the completion of his or her probation or registry requirement. |
| Firearm ownership | Texas law demands that anyone convicted of a felony loses his or her Second Amendment right to own and bear arms. This ban lifts five years after completing the full sentence for a felony conviction. |
| Drivers license renewal period | Usually, a drivers license needs to be renewed every six years, but for registered sex offenders, they have to renew their license every year. |
A child safety zone is a 500+ ft space around places where children gather such as schools and parks. If a sex offender is ordered by a judge to stay away from child safety zones, they have to attend a treatment program assigned by their parole officer and can’t be involved in any programs with 17 year olds or younger.
Most cities also have their own regulations and rules that prevent a sex offender from living within 1,000 feet from a location where children gather. Even if a judge decreases a child safety zone, a sex offender still has to follow the city’s rules.
There have been many changes in recent years to the sex offender registration laws in Texas. It is vital for anyone with a sex offense record to know his or her rights and obligations under these laws. Some people who had convictions from decades ago may mistakenly believe they are now free from registration, but this is not the case. Texas law is very clear on the timeframes that apply to sex offender registration.
For example, if an individual had adjudication or conviction for a prior offense that occurred on or after September 1, 1970, then he or she only needed to register if the person was in the registration system on or after September 1, 1997. However, a change to the law occurred on September 1, 2005 that required anyone with an adjudication or conviction on or after September 1, 1970 to register regardless of whether he or she was in the registration system as of September 1, 1997.
A Houston defense attorney can help a convicted sex offender understand his or her rights and responsibilities under Texas law. For individuals who received registration requirements on an individual basis, a Houston sex offender registration attorney may be able to help these individuals resolve issues with their sex offender registration requirements. Since 1997, our office has been fighting to represent clients who have been charged with a crime in Houston. You can read more about our clients, case results and reviews on Facebook, Google and Yelp.