Nevada Sex Offender Laws Could Change

A panel in Nevada that is debating a controversial sex offender bill should be open to the public, according to one Nevada deputy attorney general. The panel is debating a bill that could possibly grant sex offenders the right to conceal their identities and whereabouts more once they are out of incarceration.

Jonh Michela, Deputy Attorney General of Nevada, recently disclosed that the debate might have to continue to take place out of the public’s eye.

Nevada Parole Board Chairwoman Dorla Salling revealed that there has been a significant increase in the number of convicted sex offenders who request concealment about their backgrounds. She also mentioned that the meetings have been taking place behind closed doors to protect the identities of sex offender victims, which may become known if the meetings are to be held in public.

Proponents of the idea to open up the meetings say it would make concealment requests decrease because the general public would know if a specific sex offender made any concealment requests.

According to current Nevada law, sex offenders must register with the police regarding their residence and any major movements. Only Tier 3, the most serious level of offenders, has to disclose the same information to the public. The police cannot share any information regarding Tier 1 offenders. With Tier 2 offenders, police can only reveal information to schools, churches, and daycare centers.

A new Nevada law passed during the 2005 Legislature will require all Tier 2 offenders to be re-evaluated by July 2006 to see if they can be reclassified as Tier 3. Currently 64 of the 4,700 registered sex offenders in Nevada are Tier 3 level offenders.