How Is A Sex Offender’s Risk Level Determined?
Arizona’s move to create a safe and more knowledgeable public primarily began in 1994 with the murder of Megan Kanka by her neighbor, who was a recently released sex offender. As a result of this crime, Arizona pushed for a national campaign that led to the enactment of the federal “Megan’s Law.”
Arizona adopted its own version of the law in 1996, which requires that sex offenders are entered into a statewide accessible database and that the offender is also given a sex offender risk assessment.
The purpose of the assessment is to try and gauge the offender’s likelihood of relapse into criminal behavior.
If you have been convicted of a sex crime, below is an overview by a Phoenix sex offender attorney on how your risk level is determined.
Establishing Risk Level
In order to establish a sex offender’s risk level, the state looks at a total of 19 different criteria.
The criteria assessed are believed to be strong predictors of a sex offender’s future behavior.
Each criterion is given a point level. Once the point levels are assigned to each of the 19 criteria, the numbers are totaled and the state then recommends a community notification level.
The community notification levels are 1, 2, and 3.
Assignment of a level 1 means low risk, level 2 represents intermediate risk, and level 3 is a high risk level.
Even after a risk level is determined, discretion is left to officers to accept the recommended risk level or to have another assessment completed.
Where the Information Goes
Under Arizona Revised Statutes 13-3826, once an assessment is conducted and completed, notification regarding the sex offender must be issued.
Notification goes to the “surrounding neighborhood, area schools, appropriate community groups, and prospective employers.”
The notification is issued in the form of a flyer with a photograph, the offender’s address, and a short summary of the offender’s crime.
Phoenix sex offender attorney
Following Registration Rules
If you have been convicted of a sex crime in Arizona, you should be aware of your assigned risk level and you should also comply with all of the requirements under the Arizona Sex Offender Registry.
The registry rules can be complicated and time consuming to understand.
To ensure that you are fully complying and to protect you from further trouble, speaking to a Phoenix sex offender attorney who handles sex crimes charges is in your best interest.
At Tyler Allen Law Firm, our professional team can ensure that you are complying with your reporting requirements. Contact us today for a consultation.