Real Estate Term of the Day: Megan’s Law

Posted on by Leslie Monaco Real Estate

Real Estate Term of the Day: Megan’s Law

MEGAN’S LAW – federal law requiring states to develop programs to notify communities when convicted sex offenders are released into their neighborhood. In most cases, a public register is maintained to indicate the presence of an offender. Formally, the Child Protection Act of 1996. (Barron’s Dictionary of Real Estate Terms) 

Megan’s Law is an informal name for laws in the United States requiring law enforcement authorities to make information available to the public regarding registered sex offenders, which was created in response to the murder of a young child named Megan Kanka. In July 1994, Megan Kanka, who at the age of 7, accepted an invitation from a neighbor Jesse Timmendequas, a sex offender in NJ who had been previously convicted of sex crimes and had lived across the street from Kanka together with two other sex offenders. He had killed Megan Kanka after luring her into his house under the pretext of showing her his new puppy.
Individual states decide what information will be made available and how it should be disseminated. Commonly included information is the offender’s name, picture, address, incarceration date, and nature of crime. The information is often displayed on free public websites, but can be published in newspapers, distributed in pamphlets, or through various other means.

Section 25 of the Exclusive Right-to-Buy Listing Contract states that:

  • 25. MEGANS LAW. If the presence of a registered sex offender is a matter of concern to Buyer, Buyer understands that Buyer must contact local law enforcement officials regarding obtaining such information.

Here is a great resource for you to search on your own to understand the presence of sex offenders around homes you are considering to purchase. .

Start your Search Now – https://www.sotar.us/apps/sotar/initPublicIndexRedirect.do

Megan's Law2

Megan's Law

The following Colorado Law Enforcement Agencies have teamed up to create a resource site of registered sex offenders living in our jurisdictions that fit the criteria of C.R.S. 16-22-110:

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Alamosa City Police Department, Alamosa County Sheriff’s Office, Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, Arvada Police Department, Aurora Police Department, Black Hawk Police Department, Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, Broomfield Police Department, Canon City Police Department, Castle Rock Police Department, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Craig Police Department, Delta Police Department, Denver Police Department, Eagle County Sheriff’s Office, Eagle Police Department, Elbert County Sheriff’s Office, Elizabeth Police Department, Federal Heights Police Department, Fort Lupton Police Department, Garfield County Sheriff’s Office, Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office, Golden Police Department, Greenwood Village Police Department, Idaho Springs Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Lafayette Police Department, La Junta Police Department, La Plata County Sheriff’s Office, Littleton Police Department, Lone Tree Police Department, Longmont Police Department, Minturn Police Department, Moffat County Sheriff’s Office, Pagosa Springs Police Department, Park County Sheriff’s Office, Parker Police Department, Platteville Police Department, Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office, Routt County Sheriff’s Office, San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office, Telluride Marshal’s Office, Vail Police Department, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Westminster Police Department and the United States Marshal Service.