Megan's Law is a relatively new California law that is filed under Assembly Bill 488. It ensures that all registered sex offenders be listed on a website and provides that Californians can access this website and get detailed information about each offender as the need arises. This is an expanded access because it allows people to use their personal computers in order to view the information for the first time.
Before Megan's Law was passed, the information on sex offenders was only available if a person went ot the police station or a sheriff's office and requested it. The new law was finally enacted in 2004, and now all sex offenders must be listed in online registries.
Megan's law is named after a seven-year-old named Megan Kanka who was raped and killed by a known child molester. According to the story, Megan's family used her tragic death to raise awareness about sex offenders and to tell people that they should research any suspicious characters near their home.
As a result, the California authorities decided to make information about sex offenders readily available to the men and women of the state. If you are currently being tried for a sex crime, then this law affects you. Should you be convicted of your crime, you will be listed on an online directory.
Anyone will be able to access your profile on the sex offender registry. This will not only cost you on a criminal penalty level, but may affect your social life drastically. Those who discover that you are a registered sex offender may shy away from you, leaving you with a difficult task of finding a job despite your public criminal record.
If you have been accused of a sex crime, then you are going to want a hardworking and dedicated Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer to come alongside you and help you in your plight for justice. With Diamond & Associates on your side, you may be able to get the representation that you need to prove your innocence and avoid being listed on a public California sex offender registry.