New Jersey Conditions of Use

New Jersey law authorizes the Division of State Police to make available to the public over the Internet information about certain sex offenders required to register under Megan's Law. The sex offender Internet registry law can be found in the New Jersey Code at 2C:7-12 to -19.

This information is being made available on the Internet to facilitate public access to information about persons who have committed a sex offense, to enable you to take appropriate precautions to protect yourself and those in your care from possible harm. Public access to registry information is intended solely for the protection of the public, and should never be used to threaten, intimidate or harass another.(See "Prohibitions on Misuse of Registry Information" below.)

The registry is not a complete and comprehensive listing of every person who has ever committed any sex offense in New Jersey, nor does it make information about every sex offender living in New Jersey available on the Internet. In accordance with New Jersey law, individuals who have been convicted, adjudicated delinquent or found not guilty by reason of insanity for a sex offense must register under New Jersey's Megan's Law. The specific offenses for which registration is required can be found in New Jersey Code at 2C:7-2. Individual registrants are then assessed to determine whether they pose a relatively low, moderate or high risk of re-offense, based on application of elements such as the characteristics of the sex offense or offenses they committed, their offense history and other criteria such as response to treatment and community support. Under New Jersey law, before community notification takes place, offenders receive a final classification order from the court following the opportunity for a hearing.

The Attorney General Guidelines for Law Enforcement for the Implementation of Sex Offender Registration can be obtained from the Division of Criminal Justice web site at www.state.nj.us/lps/dcj/megan for more information on the registration, assessment and community notification procedures.

This sex offender Internet registry includes information pertaining to sex offenders determined to pose a relatively high risk of re-offense (tier 3 offenders) and, with certain exceptions, information about sex offenders found to pose a moderate risk of re-offense (tier 2 offenders). The Internet registry excludes any information about offenders determined to present a low risk of re-offense (tier 1 offenders). The information about moderate and high risk sex offenders which is authorized for disclosure in this web site includes: the offender's name and address, any aliases used by the offender; any Megan's Law sex offenses committed by the offender, including a brief description and the date and location of disposition of any such offense; a general description of the offender's modus operandi, if any; the determination of whether the risk of re-offense by the offender is moderate or high; the offender's age, race, sex, date of birth, height, weight, hair, eye color and any distinguishing scars or tattoos; a photograph of the offender and the date on which the photograph was entered into the registry; and the make, model, color, year and license plate number of any vehicle operated by the offender. The Internet registry is continually updated with information about additional registrants added as court orders are issued authorizing Internet disclosure about those individuals.

Accuracy of the Information Contained in this Web Site

Although the individuals listed on the sex offender Internet registry are initially identified through fingerprinting and photograph submission to the Division of State Police, it should be understood that positive identification of any individual whose registration record has been made available on the Internet registry can be verified only through the review of a properly executed fingerprint card. By placing this information on the Internet, no representation is being made that the listed individual will commit any specific crime in the future, nor is any representation being made that if the individual commits an offense, that one of the listed offenses will be the offense committed. The Division of State Police, working in conjunction with the "Megan's Law" Units in each County Prosecutor's Office, verifies and updates this information regularly, to try to assure that it is complete and correct. Address information is supplied by the municipal police departments and County Prosecutors to the Division of State Police for inclusion in this website. Although efforts have been made to ensure the information is as accurate as possible, no guarantee is made or implied. The information may also be subject to change and re-verification. You are cautioned that information provided on this site may not reflect the current residence, status or other information regarding an offender.

Prohibitions on Misuse of Registry Information

Consistent with this public safety purpose of Megan's Law, the Internet registry law expressly prohibits the use of registry information for the purpose of applying for, obtaining, or denying health insurance, insurance, loans, credit, education, scholarships or fellowships, benefits privileges or services provided by any business establishment (unless for a purpose consistent with the enhancement of public safety), or housing or accommodations.

The law also makes it a crime, punishable by a term of imprisonment between three and five years and a fine of up to $15,000, to use registry information to commit a criminal offense, and makes it a disorderly persons offense, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, to use registry information to commit any disorderly persons or petty disorderly persons offense. These charges would be in addition to any charges related to the underlying criminal act committed.