NJ: Sex Offender Registry Deals with Limits.

January 13, 2002

By JOHN P. McALPIN

NJ: Sex Offender Registry Deals with Limits

TRENTON -- New Jersey had planned to debut its online registry of sex offenders, seven years after it passed Megan's Law, but court rulings have forced the state to keep offenders' addresses and other details off the Internet.

State authorities are working on the Web site, a spokesman for Attorney General John J. Farmer Jr. said Friday.

"It's not up yet and we're looking to get it ready in a few weeks," Roger Shatzkin said.

Last month, a federal judge rejected the state's plan to make most sex offender details available to anyone who could point and click.

The judge said existing laws already allow prosecutors to release street addresses to a sex offender's immediate neighbors.

New Jersey voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment in November 2000, but the judge said the state cannot make largely personal details such as an address widely public.



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Source: © 2002 The Record