Although your local sheriff's office keeps track of sexual offenders, you need to remain aware of your family's safety and work with law enforcement to prevent abuse.
- In most cases of sexual abuse, victims know their assailants. These offenders are family members, friends and trusted others. As a result, many victims never report the crimes, and the offenders are never caught.
- Some counties send out e-mail updates when sexual offenders move into a neighborhood. Visit your county police department online to sign up for these alerts.
- Although some sexual offenders must live and work outside a 1,000-foot radius of public spaces where children gather, sexual offenders who committed acts of abuse before June 2003 may move around their communities with fewer legal restrictions.
- The Sexual Offender Registration Review Board identifies sexual offenders by their likelihood to continue committing abuse. About 68% of offenders have a low risk for abusing others again. About 6% of offenders, however, are sexually dangerous predators and are much more likely to fall back into a pattern of violent sexual offense.
Offenders renew their registrations every year in the days leading to their birthdays, and they must inform the sheriff's office of any major changes of information within 72 hours.
If they move from one county to another, offenders must submit changes of address to the sheriffs in both counties 72 hours before they move. If they move to another state, offenders must inform law enforcement in both states within 72 hours after moving.
Sources: Georgia Bureau of Investigation & Georgia Sheriffs' Association. This information was prepared as a public service of the State of Georgia to provide general information, not to advise on any specific legal problem. It is not, and cannot be construed to be, legal advice. If you have questions regarding any matter contained on this page, please speak with the agency that is the source of the information.