The Sex Offender Registry was established in Colorado for the purpose of community safety. Since it was put in place, there have been many people who have tried to argue that having to register as a sex offender is cruel and unusual punishment. Recently, three men joined in a lawsuit to fight against their requirement to register, stating that it subjected them to harassment, shunning and physical and mental abuse. The claim was that this is beyond their sentences. A U.S. District judge agreed, but the ruling was appealed and the appeals court overturned the ruling, finding that the registry was not cruel and unusual punishment. Interestingly, the article provided recidivism statistics, stating that sex offenders have a recidivism rate of 11% – 19% for committing a new sex offense. All other crimes (non-sex crimes) have recidivism rates of 32% for those who got no treatment and 48% for those who received treatment among that population. Basically, most sex offenders never commit another crime, especially not another sex offense. But, the court disagreed that this information should be considered and instead ruled to keep the registry in place.
What is Included in the Sex Offender Registry in Larimer County?
When a person is convicted of or pleads guilty to certain sexual crimes, they are required to register as a sex offender with their local law enforcement agency. Generally speaking, the sex offender registry includes:
- Name
- Address
- Aliases
- Date of Birth
- Photograph
- Unlawful Sexual Behavior conviction(s) that require you to register
The information above is what is available to the public. However, when a person is registering as a sex offender, they are required to provide more information, including:
- Phone numbers
- Automobile registration information (including VIN number)
- Email addresses
- Chat room names
- Instant message names
Failure to provide truthful information in the specified timeframes outlined by law can result in a Failure to Register charge.