Sex offender laws exist in hopes that they can curb the number of tragedies that occur at the hands of dangerous repeat offenders. There have been many tragedies in the United States that have happened because of the lax governance of convicted sex offenders. Over the years the way that sex offenders are regulated has changed a lot. That being said, every state is allowed to make its own sex offender laws. So, can a Florida sex offender live near a school?

Florida Sex Offender Laws.

Because each state is in charge of making its own bilingual elementary school laws, you can easily go from state to state and see drastic differences. In Florida, most offenders must register for life. If the offender hasn’t been arrested for any misdemeanors or felonies in the last 20 years they can request to end their obligation to register. The same is true for those that were under 18 at the time of the offense as long as their victim was older than 12, but in that circumstance, they can request to have their obligation ended after 10 years.

In the state of Florida, sex offenders generally cannot live within 1000 feet of any place that children congregate. That includes schools, playgrounds, and even churches. Some places have stricter laws about this, it depends on the local ordinances. 

How to Find the Florida Sex Offender Registry.

Finding the registry is super quick and easy if you know how to use the internet, but for how easy it is to find it’s an indisputably powerful tool for the public. All you need to do is conduct a quick internet search for it and you’ll have access to the registry.

Once on the website, you can search by a few methods and you’ll find a list of offenders that meet your criteria. Most people search by address or zip code to see about potential threats in their neighborhood but you can also easily search by name to see if a specific person is a sex offender. You’ll find a list of every offender that meets your search criteria and you’ll have access to a good deal of identifying information about the offenders in your area so you can be sure you know exactly who may post a threat to you or your family.

Making a Plan to Stay Safe.

Any good safety plan requires real work information to ensure that you’re planning properly. If you’re going surfing you’d want to know if sharks live in the area. Well, sex offenders have a very high recidivism rate and also, in most cases, look just like most anyone else. That’s why it’s so important to ensure that you know exactly in your communities may pose a threat to yourself or your loved ones. Finding the information you need is both easy and useful.

***Registered Offenders List is a free online resource that strives to offer helpful content and resources to its visitors regarding registered sex offenders that live near you.