Tennessee Sex Offender Registry Study

September 2003

As of June 2003, there were a total of 6,139 people on the Sex Offender Registry (SOR). Of these, 1,789 offenders were on the Internet registry. The number of people on the registry changes constantly as new offenders are added and deleted. TCA § 40-39-106 (f) states: For all sexual offenses committed on or after July 1, 1997, the information concerning a registered sexual offender set out in subdivision (f)(1)-(9) shall be considered public information. For all sexual offenses committed on or after October 27, 2002, the information concerning a registered sexual offender set out in subdivision (f)(10) shall be considered public information.

Offenders will be deleted if their offense has been expunged, they move out of the state or if they die. This registry is maintained by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s (TBI) Tennessee Internet Criminal Information Center (TICIC). TBI is required by TCA § 40-39-104 to mail out Registration/Monitoring forms to all known sex offenders at least once every 90 days. The form requires verification of the offender’s last reported address. If a person who is required to register is re-incarcerated, the monitoring requirements cease until the person is released. If two consecutive monitoring forms are sent back to the TBI marked “Return to Sender”, the offender remains on the registry. However, the offender’s release type code on the registry is changed to “unknown address”. The monitoring forms are not mailed to offenders with “Unknown Address” in the release type code field.

Any offender who knowingly fals ifies a sexual offender’s registration/monitoring form or verification/monitoring form commits a Class A misdemeanor for the first offense, which is punishable by confinement in the county jail for not less than 180 days. ..more.. by Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Statistical Analysis Center