Man On Personal Mission Launches Sex Offender Magazine

Only state registries have been authorized to disseminate registry information, not secondary publications. Further, federal law prohibits dissemination without a method of correcting any possible erroneous information. Such correction would be impossible on paper copies previously disseminated.

Accordingly, each registrant -to be printed in a paper copy- would have to receive FREE a copy of what is to be printed BEFORE printing it, and approve it. Adam Walsh Act, SORNA Sec. 118(e). Further, SORNA also mandates that public warnings accompany each registrant's information, to prevent harassment or vigilantism. SORNA Sec. 118(f).

Further, under the Federal Privacy Act (5 USC Sec. 552(a)) the state is permitted to use registrant information for its purposes (i.e., a Public Registry), however, their right of use does not translate to private party use of that information. Private use (secondary dissemination) of registry information requires the specific approval of each registrant. Folks should check with local lawyers who can review circumstances of each specific case.

3-29-2010 Indiana:

Mag Features Central Indiana Offenders

INDIANAPOLIS -- A monthly magazine that features Indiana sex offenders is part of a personal mission for a man who was a victim of abuse.

The magazine, now offered in 55 Speedway stores in the Indianapolis area, is already getting mostly positive feedback, its publisher says.

The publisher, who only wants to be identified as Ryan, designed the magazine and pays for all the printing costs, Tanya Spencer reported.

"I don't think the registry (online) is in your face enough," said Ryan, who runs Critical Review Publications. "A lot of people want to turn a blind eye to this."

The magazine has pictures of convicted sex offenders and outlines the charges against them. With more than 2,000 sexual predators in Indianapolis and new offenders being released from jail frequently, the featured pictures will change each month.

The magazine also offers general safety tips, victims' stories and resources.

"I'd be interested to see who's on the list," said one resident. "Hopefully, they're not living upstairs or down the street."

The magazine costs $1.25 an issue, covering publishing costs. Ryan hopes to eventually get enough advertisers on board to make the cost to consumers free.

If the magazine makes a profit, a portion of the proceeds will go to Stop Child Abuse and Neglect, or SCAN, which provides counseling to victims.

Ryan insisted that publishing the information is fair game because it's already online and public domain anyway. He argued that the high recidivism rate of sexual abuse warrants the scrutiny and that his endeavor will be a success if it prevents one child from going through what he did.

"I have post-traumatic stress disorder because of it," Ryan said. "It was very difficult for me to get to a point where I wasn't blaming myself and had all those guilty feelings."

The magazine is currently only offered in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, but Ryan hopes to expand to other cities. ..Source.. Tanya Spencer