If you have completed your assigned registration period on the Pennsylvania sex offender registry, your name may be removed from the registry by the state police. You may also be removed if you no longer work, live, or go to school in Pennsylvania, although this could result in your placement on another state’s registry.
PA’s sex offender registry classifies offenders in tiers. These tiers explain how long the sex offender must be listed on the state’s registry.
Are There Other Potential Scenarios for Removal from PA’s Sex Offender Registry?
If you served the state-mandated registry period, you might be eligible for removal from PA’s sex offender registry. There are a few other reasons that would allow you to have your name removed from PA’s sex offender registry. These could include:
- You were a minor when you were convicted of a sexual offense
- The crime you committed has been decriminalized
- You successfully completed treatment as prescribed by an expert, such as counseling or other treatment
A criminal defense attorney from our firm can explain when you may be eligible for removal from Pennsylvania’s sex offender registry.
For a free legal consultation, call 215.515.3360
Pennsylvania’s Sex Offender Registry Tier System
The PA sex offender registry was created and is maintained by the Pennsylvania State Police.
If you are required to be on the registry, it is your responsibility to register, keep all information current, and report to the registration site as required. You will be considered non-compliant if you fail to follow through with any of these requirements.
What you’re required to do and how long you’ll be on the registry is determined by your classification. Reporting begins after you are released from prison.
You will be classified into one of the following tiers based on your offense:
- Tier I requires a 15-year registration and you report annually.
- Tier II requires a 25-year registration and you report twice a year.
- Tier III is lifetime registration and you report four times a year.
- Ten-year registrant means you must be registered for 10 years and you report annually.
- Lifetime offenses require you to be registered for the rest of your life and you report annually.
- You could be considered a transient resident if you do not stay in the same residence for more than 30 days at a time. You will be required to report each month.
- Sexually violent predator is lifetime registration and you report 4 times a year.
- Sexually violent delinquent child is lifetime registration and you report 4 times a year.
This tier system came into place on December 20, 2012. Any sex offender who did not complete their registration period was required to comply with these new adjustments to the state’s Megan’s Law. The new law, the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), placed offenders on the appropriate tier based on their offenses.
Why Is the Sex Offender Registry Shared Publicly?
Whether the sex offender registry should be shared publically is an issue now before the Supreme Court. Sharing the registry publicly is punitive and a violaion of substantive due process, according to the world’s leading experts.
It’s important to be aware that your friends, family members, employers, or anyone who knows your name can look at the registry and discover details about your offense. The website also shares other details, including:
- Your residential address
- The vehicles you drive
- Photos of you
- The date you registered as a sex offender
- Your employment address or school address, if applicable
The public will also have the option to track offenders on PA’s sex offender website. This will alert the person of any updates to the offender’s information via electronic notification or email.
Reach Out to the Law Offices of M.J. Snyder, LLC
Because much of the information on the sex offender registry is public, the impact of being on the registry affects nearly all parts of your life. You may have difficulty getting employment or a place to live, and the response from those who discover your status could be negative.
Marni Jo Snyder and associates understand the difficulties you face each day. They believe in upholding the rights of all and will work with you to ensure yours are being met. Contact the Law Offices of M.J. Snyder, LLC today for a free consultation. You can discuss getting removed from Pennsylvania’s sex offender registry.
