We see it in the news almost daily – another sex offender has been caught and charged with Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The general public's response is often prideful contempt: “How dare they fail to register!” What most people fail to realize is just how difficult it is to register correctly in Denver, Adams, and Jefferson County. Sex offenders have an enormous list of complicated rules they must follow. I have been a sex crimes defense attorney for 23 years and I am stilled baffled by the complexity of the law in many cases. Registration does not simply mean reporting your latest address. Let me explain what sex offenders in Colorado are required to do.

What are Sex Offenders Required to Register, and How Often?

Depending on the sex offense they were convicted of, sex offenders are required to register either quarterly (4 times a year), or annually (once a year), and after they move or change information. They must register with law enforcement in the jurisdiction where they live. Here is just a sample of what they are required to provide:

• Name (and aliases used)
• Homes or places they stay
• Names used on social networking or chat sites
• Email addresses
• Motor vehicle information
• Enrollment status in college
• Phone numbers

This is the basic information they are required to provide when they register in Douglas, Arapahoe, or El Paso County. There is a lot of miscellaneous information which is also required. If a person moves from another state, is released from prison or jail, or moves from one County to another, they have five days to re-register in their new jurisdiction. If they fail to re-register in the new area in that amount of time, or if they provide inaccurate or incomplete information (even unintentionally), they will be charged with Failure to Register as a Sex Offender – C.R.S. 18-3-412.5.

We Need to be Compassionate towards People Who Fail to Register

We need to be compassionate towards people who have committed sex offenses and try to comply with the law. In fact, helping people overcome their past is a wonderful way to reintegrate them into society. If we make sex offenders outcasts, they simply reoffend. In fact, studies have shown that sex offender registration may cause people to reoffend. We need to help people overcome their crimes and past errors and live a normal life again. Here at the O'Malley Law Office, we are committed to helping people move on with their lives. Creating ridiculous rules which are difficult to follow doesn't help.

Request a Free Consultation

If you or a loved one has been charged with Failure to Register as a Sex Offender, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at the O'Malley Law Office for a free consultation at 303-830-0880. Together, we can protect your future.

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