What You Should Know about the Texas Sex Offender Registry

In every state, including Texas, sex crimes are considered one of the most horrendous offenses. In the majority of cases, individuals convicted of a sex crime in the state are required to have their names added to the Texas sex offender registry.

In 1994, Congress passed the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children Act as part of a movement to place sex offenders in an exclusive class of criminals that have a public registry. This Act set up the federal sex offender registry, and instituted guidelines by which the states could do the same. In addition, the law required the tracking of sex offenders through the verification of their addresses each year. It also requires states to monitor the addresses of sex offenders on a yearly basis for 10 years after their release from prison, or on a quarterly basis for the remainder of their lives if the conviction was for a violent sex offense.

What is the Texas sex offender registry?

The Texas Code of Criminal Procedure describes the Texas Sex Offender Registration Program. This law mandates adults and juveniles who have been convicted of particular sex offenses to register as a sex offender with their local law enforcement agency. The locality in which the sex offenders to register refers to the county or city in which the offender currently lives.

The minimum amount of information that must be provided to the registry includes the offender’s name, address, color photograph, and criminal offense. Law enforcement keeps this information on record and makes it available and accessible to the public through the website for the Texas Public Sex Offender Registry.

What are the laws regarding the Texas sex offender registry?

According to the Texas sex offender registry laws, any individual who has a reportable conviction or adjudication must register as a sex offender in order to allow the release to mandatory supervision, parole, or community supervision. Those who qualify under this definition have seven days to register upon arriving in a municipality in which they intend to visit or live for more than one week. If the offender’s work requires him or her to spend at least 48 hours in a county or city, at least three times in one month, the offender must register in that locality in order to adhere to the law.

Persons convicted of sexually violent offenses must register for the duration of their lifetime. Individuals convicted of lesser sex offenses may only be required to register for 10 years. The 10 year period starts after any prison time served or after discharge from parole, community supervision, or state supervision.

Which crimes that can land you on the sex offender registry?

The various types of sex offenses that could land you on the sex offender registry in Texas include:

• Sexual assault
• Continuous sexual abuse of a child
• Compelling prostitution by minor
• Sexual performance by a child
• Aggravated sexual assault
• Indecency with a child by exposure
• Promotion or possession of child pornography
• Trafficking of individuals
• Indecency with a child by contact

Some juvenile sex offenders are permitted to register for 10 years after their case has been disposed or after they have completed the terms of their disposition, whichever occurs last. However, some juveniles are required to register for life as a sex offender when the crimes they committed would also require an adult to register for life.

Individuals placed on the sex offender registry can face substantial obstacles in everyday life, including difficulty obtaining educational and employment opportunities. There is also the shame and embarrassment that may affect family relationships and friendships.

Our sexual assault criminal defense attorneys at the Mary Beth Harrell Law Firm understand the serious nature of sexual assault charges and the consequences they bring. We are committed to fighting to protect your reputation, rights, and freedom if you are facing a sexual offense charge or are in trouble for not registering as a sex offender in a particular locality. To set up a free case review, call us today at 254.680.4655 or use our contact form. We are here to serve you from our offices in Killeen and Copperas Cove.