The Texas Department of Public Safety plans to update its online sex offender registry this spring to let people know where offenders work or go to school. https://records.txdps.state.tx.us/DPS_WEB/Sor/index.aspx
Anyone can go to the state’s site to look up a person by name or ZIP code. The information includes physical descriptions, photos, offenses, aliases and legal status. People also can use a map to find sex offenders who live in a particular neighborhood.
When the registry is revised, sex offender records will also show complete registration histories, former addresses and conviction information in Texas and out of state.
Ruth Epstein, a spokeswoman for the American Civil Liberties Union of Central Texas, said people’s ability to find sex offenders in their workplaces or classrooms raises privacy concerns.
The Open Records Project was the first group in the US to post sex offender registration information on the Internet. Following intense interest across the country, the state legislature ordered The Texas Department of Public Safety to provide the information. The recent expansion of the service is the latest in a continuing effort.
Full Story