Sex Offender Information - For Campuses Within the United States

Federal Requirements

In October 2000, the Federal Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act 20 U.S.C. § 1092(f)(1)(I) amended Section 170101 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. The Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act requires sex offenders who are required to register under state law to also provide notice of their enrollment or employment at any institution of higher learning in the state where he/she resides.

Title I of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), provides for the registration and tracking of sex offenders. Institutions of higher education are required to issue a statement advising the campus community of where to obtain law enforcement agency information provided by a state concerning registered sex offenders. The law also requires sex offenders already required to register in a State to provide notice, as required under State law, of each institution of higher education in that State at which the person is employed, carries on a vocation, or is a student.

Texas Sex Offender Registration Program

The Texas Sex Offender Registration Program (Chapter 62 of the Code of Criminal Procedure) is a sex offender registration and public notification law designed to protect the public from sex offenders. This law requires adult and juvenile sex offenders to register with the local law enforcement authority of the city they live in or, if the offender does not reside in a city, with the local law enforcement authority of the county where they reside.

Registration involves the offender providing the local law enforcement authority their name, address, a color photograph, and the offense the offender was convicted or adjudicated for. Registered sex offenders are required to periodically report to the local law enforcement authority and verify the accuracy of the registration information and to promptly report certain changes in the information as those changes occur. A sex offender who fails to comply with any registration requirement is subject to felony prosecution.

Who May Receive Campus-Related Sex Offender Data

The Texas Tech Police Department may release sex offender information (name and known aliases, age, gender, race, physical description, photograph, crimes that were the basis for the registration requirement, date of last registration) relating to campus-affiliated sex offenders to anyone who:

• Is over 18-years of age and a member of the campus community.
• Are not themselves a registered sex offender.
• Is willing to certify to the understanding that the release of registered sex offender information.
• Is to allow members of the campus community to protect themselves and their children from sex offenders.
• Is willing to certify an understanding that it is illegal to use the sex offender registration information to harass, discriminate, or commit a crime against any person who has been identified as a sex offender.
• Is willing to sign a "Registered Sex Offender View Form".

Campus-affiliated registered sex offender information is available for inspection by members of the community (by appointment) at the Texas Tech Police Department during business hours. Call 806-742-3931 for more information.

Public Access to Sex Offender Data

Upon registration of an offender, the Texas Tech Police Department forwards a notice, along with identifying information to campus officials. Additionally, the Texas Tech Police Department maintains links to government websites that provide public access to sex offender data. Registered offender data may be found at:

• USDOJ National Sex Offender Public Website - https://NSOPW.gov
• https://publicsite.dps.texas.gov/SexOffenderRegistry

Sex offender information should not be used to harass or commit any crime against a sex offender.

Campus Sex Offender Disclosure

The Texas Tech Police Department may proactively release details about an offender to the campus community if the offender has been designated high risk and is believed to present an imminent threat to the community or if there has been a reported offense wherein the offender is believed to be an involved party.

Sex Offender Registration Requirements

Registration with the university is required for an offender who: is enrolled as a student, is a full/part time employee with or without compensation (including a volunteer), carries on a vocation, attends school, or is a visitor to any campus property. These individuals shall register within seven days with the Texas Tech Police Department. Registered Sex Offenders are prohibited from living in on-campus student housing facilities at Texas Tech University and the Lubbock Apartment Association maintains a list of local apartments and housing complexes that registered offenders may contact to seek student housing. Campus registration of sex offenders will be conducted at the Texas Tech Police Department during normal business hours. Please call 806-742-3931 to make an appointment.

A campus-affiliated sex offender shall also notify the Texas Tech Police Department within seven working days of ceasing to be enrolled or employed, ceasing to carry on a vocation at Texas Tech University, or change of address. Notice of all registered offenders is forwarded via the Police Department to the respective institution's President, Provost, Dean of Students, Senior Managing Director of University Student Housing (where applicable) and relevant Academic Dean, and Human Resources Department and/ or program director.