"Megan's Law" was the first type of statute in reference to Sex Offenders and was passed by the New Jersey Legislature in 1994. The law was named after 7-year-old Megan Kanka, who was abducted, raped, and murdered by an ex-convict who had two prior convictions for sex crimes against young girls. Beginning Jan. 1, 1997, all sex offenders, including those already incarcerated, were required to be classified by their individual sentencing judges into one of three categories, each of which dictates the registration and notification requirements to which the offender is subject. From July 1 of that year forward, all convicted sex offenders are subject to the registration requirements of the law. Sexual predators and some habitual sex offenders are subject to the notification aspects. Sex Offender Registration & Notification Statute is the basis for the maintenance of records pertaining to House Bill 180, otherwise known as Megan’s Law. This Megan’s Law recently changed more with the signing of Senate Bill 5.  Now those persons who commit sexually oriented offenses are listed into classifications which include: Sexual Predator, Child-Victim Predator, Habitual Sex Offender, Habitual Child-Victim Offender, and Sexually Oriented Offender or Child-Victim Offender. All sex offenders are required to register with the sheriff of the county in which they reside within seven days of release from prison or moving to a new county.

The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act requires that sex offender registration occur before an offender is released from imprisonment or within three days of a non-imprisonment sentence. Changes in registry information must be reported in that time period, as well.

Each sex offender is to provide the following registration information: Name; Social Security number; address or multiple addresses; employer and address; school (if a student) and address; license plate number and description of any vehicle owned or operated by the offender; and any other information required by the attorney general.

Each jurisdiction must include the following information for each offender in the registry: A physical description; the criminal offense; the criminal history of the offender, including dates of arrests and convictions and correctional or release status; a current photograph; fingerprints and palm prints; a DNA sample, a photocopy of a valid driver's license or ID card; and any other information required by the attorney general.

The law defines and requires a three-tier classification system for sex offenders, on which other requirements are based. The tier levels are established as:

The law makes further clarifications of a sex offense and offense against a minor.

Regarding juveniles, the act defines a conviction for purposes of registration and classification to include juvenile adjudications if the juvenile offender is at least 14 years of age at the time of the offense and the offense adjudicated is comparable to or more severe than the federal offense aggravated sexual abuse.

The law sets requirements on duration of the registration requirement, according to the classification system. Tier 1 sex offenders are required to register for 15 years; tier II for 25 years and tier III offenders must register for life. Registration periods may be reduced, also according to the tier system, for completing certain programs or having a clean record for specified periods of time.

Registered sex offenders are required to appear in person to verify their address and other registry information and for update of the required photo. Frequency of personal appearance is set according to the tier system. Tier 1 offenders must appear in person each year; tier II offenders every six months; and for tier III sex offenders in-person verification is required every three months.

States are required to have a criminal penalty that includes a maximum term of imprisonment greater than one year for failure of a sex offender to comply with requirements. Assistance by federal law enforcement agencies is available to assist jurisdictions in locating and apprehending sex offenders who abscond from the registration requirement.

The law requires that states make registry information available on the Internet, in readily accessible form and with certain mandatory exemptions. Each state's website must have search capabilities compatible to the National Sex Offender Public Registry. The attorney general is to develop software to enable jurisdictions to establish and operate uniform registries and Internet sites, and states will have one year to implement it after it becomes available. The act also requires prompt sharing of information on registered sex offenders among state, local and federal law enforcement agencies and other entities.

Sexual Predator
Any person who has been convicted of or has pled guilty to committing a sexually oriented offense and is likely to engage in the future in one or more sexually oriented offenses. Sexual Predators must register with this office every 90 days for life.

Child Victim Predator
A child Victim Predator is defined as a person who has been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, committing a Sexually Oriented Offense on a person, under eighteen (18) years of age, not the child of the person committing the offense, and who is likely in the future to commit additional Sexually Oriented Offenses.Offenders designated as Child Victim Predators, are subject to registration/verification requirements (90 (ninety) day intervals) for life.

Habitual Child Victim Offender
A Habitual Child Victim Offender is defined as a person who has been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to committing a Sexually Oriented Offense, on a person, under eighteen (18) years of age, not the child of the person, and who previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to one or more Sexually Oriented Offenses. Offenders designated as Habitual Child Victim Offenders are subject to registration/verification requirements annually for a period of 20 (twenty) years after release.

Sexual Oriented Offender
Any person convicted of or pleads guilty to committing a sexually oriented offense as defined in Ohio Revised Code number 2950.01, which includes rape, sexual battery, gross sexual imposition, regardless of the age the victim.
Sexual Oriented Offenders must register with this office once a year for ten years.

Habitual Sexual Offender
Any person who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a sexually oriented offense and who previously has been convicted of or has pled guilty to one or more sexually oriented offenses. Habitual Sex Offenders must register with this office once a year for 20 years. The offender must return to our office in one year to verify his/her address.