The Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) is an unprecedented public safety resource that provides the public with access to sex offender data nationwide. NSOPW is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Justice and state, territorial and tribal governments, working together for the safety of adults and children.
First established in 2005 as the National Sex Offender Public Registry (NSOPR), NSOPW was renamed by the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 in honor of 22-year-old college student Dru Sjodin of Grand Forks, North Dakota, a young woman who was kidnapped and murdered by a sex offender who was registered in Minnesota.
NSOPW is the only U.S. government website that links public state, territorial and tribal sex offender registries in one national search site. Parents, employers and other concerned individuals can use the website’s search tool to identify location information on sex offenders living, working and attending school not only in their own neighborhoods but in other nearby states and communities. In addition, the website provides visitors with information about sexual abuse and how to protect themselves and loved ones and minimize the risk of potential victimization.
NSOPW’s advanced search tool provides information about sex offenders through a number of search options:
- Search by name nationally or with an individual Jurisdiction
- Search by address (if provided by Jurisdiction)
- Search by ZIP code
- Search by county (if provided by Jurisdiction)
- Search by city/town (if provided by Jurisdiction)
NSOPW presents the most up-to-date information as provided by each jurisdiction. Information is hosted by each jurisdiction, not by NSOPW.gov or the federal government. The search criteria available for searches are limited to what each individual jurisdiction may provide. Search results should be verified by visiting the individual jurisdiction’s public registry website for further information and/or guidance. For answers to frequently asked questions about NSOPW, visit the FAQ page.
In addition to the NSOPW website, a free mobile app is also available for download. The mobile app has the same search capabilities as NSOPW.gov, with the added feature of allowing users to search a geographic radius based on their device location. Download it from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.
