WA state’s sex offender registry: What to know

The Seattle Times investigated Washington’s system for committing and releasing so-called “sexual violent predators.” But beyond this population, there are many more people who commit sex crimes in Washington state and who are incarcerated or required to register as sex offenders.

Here are some facts about sex offender registries:

What is a sex offender registry?

A sex offender registry is a public list of people who have been convicted of sexual offenses. These lists include the individual’s name, picture, height, weight, general residential location and criminal history. Whether someone is required to register as a sex offender, and their personal information is made public, depends on the type of sex offense, ranging from certain gross misdemeanors to a Class A felony. In Washington, this information is kept by each county sheriff’s department as well as published in online databases.

More than 20,000 people are required to register as sex offenders in Washington, according to the most recently available data.

How does someone get on a sex offender registry and is it for life?

Any adult who commits a felony sex offense or most misdemeanor crimes is required to register as a sex offender. A person may be required to register for 10 years, 15 years or for life, depending on the type of offense.

Those held on McNeil Island are required to register for life, as detailed in The Seattle Times’ investigation into Washington’s releases of those deemed “sexually violent predators” under state law.

If a sex offender moves to another state, do they have to register there?

Yes. They must register their address in the new state within three days and notify the sheriff of the Washington county where they last lived. Every state has its own registry, and the U.S. Department of Justice maintains a national registry.

Some people released from the state’s Special Commitment Center have left the state and been arrested again. The Department of Social and Health Services, which runs the program, is not required to track people once they are released, and the agency does not know if they reoffend unless they end up back in the state criminal justice system.

How do I look up my local sex offender registry?

Go to wasor.org. The website allows searches based on geographic queries, including “search offenders in your area.” It allows searches based on the first and last name of a person, by city, or by people who are listed as “noncompliant” with the registry.

More information is maintained by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, which has a website with links to the national search registry and fact sheets. Each county sheriff’s office handles registration oversight and information for their county.

How does Washington categorize people who have committed sex crimes?

When people are required to register as sex offenders, they are classified as level 1 (low risk of reoffending), level 2 (moderate risk) or level 3 (high risk). The classifications are based on the crime a person committed, and the results of social and psychological tests used to project future risk.

Level 3 offenders are considered the highest risk to reoffend. Everyone committed to McNeil Island is automatically classified this way.

What’s the difference between people at the Special Commitment Center and other sex level 3 offenders?

The main difference is that those on McNeil Island have been committed on the basis of a mental health condition that the state says makes them likely to reoffend in a predatory manner.

Do sex offender registries improve public safety?

Studies have found little correlation between the use of registries and reducing the risk of new sex crimes. A 2010 study funded by the U.S. Department of Justice examined the impact of South Carolina’s sex offender registration over a 15-year period and found no significant long-term decline in sex crimes as a result of the registry. Registered sex offenders who had failed to register were not more likely to reoffend than those who did register, the study found.

Washington’s Sex Offender Policy Board has noted the low correlation between sex offense registries and improved public safety but said there is little likelihood of eliminating the system because of its support from the public.