Megan's LawIn 1994, seven year old Megan Kanka was tricked into Jesse Timmendequas' house in Hamilton Township, New Jersey. Jesse Timmendequas, the neighbor, was a convicted sex offender with two prior convictions for sexual abuse of a child, but no one in the neighborhood knew that. Once Megan was inside, Timmendequas raped and murdered her. Eventually, Timmendequas was convicted for the murder of Megan Kanka.
Following the death of Megan a grass roots movement led to the removal of the prohibition of law enforcement notifying the public of the presence of serious and high-risk sex offenders living in their community. On May 17, 1996, President Clinton signed the Federal "Megan's Law." This law permitted law enforcement to release relevant information to protect the public from sexually violent offenders.
For the past fifty plus years California has maintained a record of those individuals convicted of sexually related crimes. In 1995 California instituted the Child Molester Identification Line, which was expanded in 1996 with the passage of California's Megan's Law. This law, allows for the first time, public access to information on serious and high-risk sex offenders.
In California sexual offenders are classified by the Department of Justice into one of three sexual offender categories, High Risk, Serious, or Other. The criteria for each of the categories is defined in the California Penal Code.
In summation, a High-Risk registrant is a Serious sex offender who has been convicted of a combination of offenses including a violent sex offense and other crimes. High-Risk status must be determined and verified by the Department of Justice. Generally, these "High-Risk" sex registrants pose a greater threat of re-offending based on their prior criminal acts.
A Serious Sex Offender is required to register with law enforcement if they have been convicted of:
Assault with intent to commit specified sex offenses
Rape
Sodomy
Lewd and lascivious conduct with a child or dependent adult
Oral copulation
Continuous sexual abuse of a child
Foreign object penetration
Child molestation
Kidnapping with intent to commit specified sex offenses
Felony sexual battery
Felony enticement of a child for purposes of prostitution
Abduction of a child for purposes of prostitution
The Other sexual offender category consist of persons convicted of possession of pornography, spousal rape, indecent exposure, or misdemeanor sexual battery - OR - juveniles adjudicated in juvenile court. Persons falling within the Other category are NOT subject to public disclosure.
For a complete list of all crimes which require registration go to the California Department Justice link: Sex Offender Registration & Exclusion Information. The law is not intended to punish the offender and specifically prohibits using the information to harass or commit any crime against the offender. It recognizes that public safety is best served when registered sex offenders are not concealing their location.
City of Irvine 1 Civic Center Plaza Irvine, CA 92606-5207 Phone: 949-724-6000 Hours of Operation:
Mon.- Thur. 7:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.
Friday 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.
