Accessing the Ohio Sex Offender List

The State Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation of the state of Ohio maintains an Electronic Sex Offender Registration and Notification program (eSORN) to locate and track sex offenders in the state and to maintain their records. The state authorities have enacted a number of laws related to sexual offenses and the punishment for these crimes. The state also has also implemented a number of supervision and correctional programs for these criminals.

Definitions of Sex Crimes

The Ohio Revised Code defines terms related to sexual offense and defines the actions that are considered to be sexual offenses. Section 2907.01 and 2907.38 of the Ohio Revised Code states that vaginal or anal intercourse between individuals of same or different sex without the concession of both parties to engage in such an act is regarded as “sexual misconduct.”

Section 2907.02 states the various conditions under which sexual contact is regarded as rape. The actions regarded as sexual offenses are rape, sexual battery (Section 2907.03), unlawful sexual conduct with a minor (Section 2907.04), gross sexual imposition (Section 2907.05), sexual imposition (Section 2907.06), importuning (Section 2907.07), voyeurism (Section 2907.08), and public indecency (Section 2907.09).  For a detailed description of the offenses, visit http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/2907.

Registration of Sex Offenders

Sex offenders in Ohio are classified into three groups: tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 offenders. Sexually-oriented criminals, habitual sex offenders, and sexual predators fall under tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 respectively. eSORN aids citizens of Ohio in locating sex offenders and obtaining information about them. Sex offenders who are classified as sexual predators by the court are required to register with local law enforcement agencies; a sexual predator is a person who has committed sexually violent offenses. Offenders who have previously been convicted for one or more sexual offenses are considered habitual sex offenders, and must also register as such. The law of the state of Ohio requires any offender released after January 1, 1997 to register.

Sex offenders must register with the office of their local sheriff. Each registrant must provide the following information when registering:

* Full name and any aliases used by the offender
* Offense that he or she was convicted of
* The sentence served by the offender
* Time of conviction
* Physical description of the offender
* Fingerprint
* Driver’s license details
* Details of any vehicle that the offender might be operating
* Permanent and temporary addresses
* Sample of DNA
* Recent photograph

Sex offenders must register within three days of arriving in Ohio or within three days of moving to another county within the state. The Ohio sex offender list always contains the names of all sexual predators residing in the state, as these offenders are required to register for life and must also report every 90 days. Tier 1 and tier 2 sex offenders, on the other hand, are registered for 15 and 25 years respectively.

Those seeking more information about sex offenders in Ohio can sign up with eSORN to conduct a search of the list. The registry can also send automated alert messages when an offender moves into your neighborhood or obtains employment in the vicinity of your workplace or your children's school. The database is created by accumulating information from all 88 counties and 32 correctional organizations within the state. To learn more about eSORN and use the services it provides, visit http://www.esorn.ag.state.oh.us/Secured/p1.aspx. You may also contact the local sheriff’s office if you have or require additional information about any offender.

Access to the sex offender list can also be obtained by contacting:
Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray
30 E. Broad St., 17th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (800) 282-0515