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Sex and
Kidnapping Offender Information
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
SEARCHING FOR REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
The Washington State Sex Offender Information Center
is a web site created by the Washington Association of Sheriff's and Police Chiefs
at the direction of the Washington State legislature. This web site allows
you to search for RSO's living near you by searching an area around the address
you provide.
QUESTIONS ABOUT RSO'S IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
If you have a question about a sex offender living inside the city limits of Woodland,
Kalama, Longview, Kelso or Castle Rock you should contact that towns police department.
Questions about sex offenders in unincorporated Cowlitz County should be directed
to the Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office.
CAN A RSO BABY-SIT MY CHILD?
As of March 2002, the crime of Leaving a Child in the Care of a Sex Offender (RCW
9A.42.110) was enacted. To see the actual law, click on the following link.
Leaving a Child in the Care of a Sex Offender
DON'T PAY FOR RSO INFORMATION
Web site charging for information about sex offenders.
To read the Daily News article, click on the following link:
It is Law Enforcement's duty to inform the public
Sex offenders have always lived in our communities. However,
it wasn't until passage of the Community Protection Act of 1990
that took effect February 28, 1990 (which mandates sex offender registration) that
law enforcement agencies routinely tracked where sex offenders were living.
If you have information about a registered sex offender that you would like to pass
on to the Sheriff's Office, you can call a
detective at (360) 577-3092 ext 2278 or e-mail
RSO@co.cowlitz.wa.us.
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Effective July 22, 2001
List of
Transient Offenders
(download PDF viewer) |
Sex and kidnapping offenders who list their address as "transients"
are now required to check in with Sheriff every week. The law requires these transient
offenders to register if they have been inside Cowlitz County for 24 hours.
The law change also requires the Sheriff's Office to make notification of transient
offenders to the public at large. Even if the offenders risk level is below
Level III. If you are a transient offender in Cowlitz
County, you must also check in once each week by coming in to the Sheriff's Office.
You can do this by coming to Hall of Justice at 312 SW 1st Ave. Kelso, on Tuesday
between 8:30am and 4:45pm to check in. Violation of this law is a class
C felony. (House Bill #1952). List
of Transient Offenders in Cowlitz County.
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The Sheriff's Office is releasing Level III Offender information
pursuant to
R.C.W. 4.24.550 and the Washington State Supreme Court Decision in State
v. Ward, 123 Wa 2d 488 (1994). Law enforcement agencies are authorized to inform
the public of a sex offender's release from confinement, or change of residence,
when such information will enhance public safety and protection.
This notification is not intended to increase fear; rather
it is our belief that an informed public is a safer public.
Sex offenders have always lived in our communities and
Law Enforcement has no legal authority to direct where sex offenders may or may
not live. Unless court ordered restrictions exist, an offender is constitutionally
free to live wherever he or she chooses. However the Community Protection Act of
1990 requires that those convicted of sex offenses must register, with the primary
legislative intent, "to assist law enforcement agencies' efforts to protect
their communities" by providing relevant and necessary information.
"How
can I learn about Level II and Level I sex offenders in my neighborhood?"
Citizen abuse of this information to threaten,
intimidate or harass registered sex and kidnapping offenders will not be tolerated.
Such abuse could potentially end our current ability to release this important
information to the public.
RCW 9A.42.110
Leaving a child in the care of a sex offender.
(1) A person is guilty of the crime of leaving a child in the care of a sex offender
if the person is (a) the parent of a child; (b) entrusted with the physical custody
of a child; or (c) employed to provide to the child the basic necessities of life,
and leaves the child in the care or custody of another person who is not a parent,
guardian, or lawful custodian of the child, knowing that the person is registered
or required to register as a sex offender under the laws of this state, or a law
or ordinance in another jurisdiction with similar requirements, because of a sex
offense against a child.
(2) It is an affirmative defense to the charge of leaving a child in the care of
a sex offender under this section, that the defendant must prove by a preponderance
of the evidence, that a court has entered an order allowing the offender to have
unsupervised contact with children, or that the offender is allowed to have unsupervised
contact with the child in question under a family reunification plan, which has
been approved by a court, the department of corrections, or the department of social
and health services in accordance with department policies.
(3) Leaving a child in the care of a sex offender is a misdemeanor.
[2002 c 170 § 1.]
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