Does Megan's Law Specifically Prohibit Where a Sex Offender Can Reside?

If you have been convicted of a sex crime, you may wonder about the next steps. One thing you may be concerned about is whether you have to move.

There are a lot of myths about sex crimes. For example, you may have heard that sex offenders cannot live near a school, park, daycare, or other place where children congregate.

This may or may not be true, but it’s not based on Megan’s Law. Megan’s Law is about providing notification only, and even the information people are allowed to view is limited.

The law limits the information to be placed on the Internet to include only Tier III and certain Tier II offenders. These people pose a moderate to high risk to the community. Information about all Tier I offenders, juvenile sex offenders, and most sex offenders whose crimes were committed against members of their families or households (incest crimes) is excluded from the internet.

In short, Megan’s Law is in place to allow law enforcement to know where you live, but it cannot tell you where you can live. Megan’s Law does not tell you to move if you already live near a school, park, or playground, for example.

However, parole laws may limit where you can live. New Jersey laws allow parole officers to place restrictions on a sex offender’s residence or workplace under certain circumstances. Some examples include if the offender is serving a special sentence of community or parole supervision for life.

There is no state law that prohibits registered sex offenders from living in certain areas. However, many cities, towns, and municipalities have their own laws and ordinances that restrict where sex offenders are allowed to live. If you have questions about where you can live, you should contact your parole officer or a criminal defense attorney.

Sex offenders in New Jersey are often prohibited from living in areas where children are known to congregate. This means schools, parks, and community centers may be off-limits for registered sex offenders. If you are found to be near these places, you might get in trouble with law enforcement and possibly face additional criminal charges. If you believe you live in an area with these restrictions, make sure it is legal.

You may be limited to where you can work as well. Sex offenders are often not allowed to work around children, so you may be barred from working in schools and daycare centers in particular.

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Megan’s Law is about notification, not imposing residency restrictions. If you have committed a crime, you may be limited to where you can live, but only based on your sentence, not Megan’s Law.

Committed a crime? Have questions about what happens next? Get a strong defense from a Cherry Hill criminal defense lawyer from The Law Offices of Christopher St. John. I can help you navigate the entire criminal process, so you have the best chance of achieving a favorable outcome.  Schedule a consultation today. Contact us via (856) 716-5427 or online here.