Fifty State Survey of Adult Sex Offender Registration Requirements, Brenda V. Smith, American University, Washington College of Law, NIC/WCL Project on Addressing Prison Rape (2009)

This extremely useful publication is part of a larger scholarly project on addressing prison rape by American University-Washington College of Law Professor Brenda V. Smith; it is one in a series that aims to create a “legal toolkit” for addressing sexual violence in prisons and other custody settings. This chart catalogues statutes that address adult sex offender registration requirements in all fifty states, as well as surrounding territories. 

The chart provides 1) a list of all registrable offenses; 2) indicates whether sex offender registration is required for prison staff sexual misconduct; 3) details the type of information maintained in the sex offender registry, community notification and other websites; 4) identifies limitations on residency or employment; and 5) identifies the duration of registration. As roughly 20% of all states require those convicted under HIV-specific laws to register as a sex-offender, understanding the registration requirements of other states is necessary for prosecution survivors considering relocation as a way to improve employment and quality of life options.

Note: This resource was published in August 2009. While CHLP makes every effort to update resources this is the most recent compilation of its kind. As with all legal resources in the HIV Policy Resource Bank, users should be aware the law is regularly changing, and we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information provided. We encourage users to check the individual state laws to ensure this fifty state survey accurately reflects current law.