[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/brianzeiger.com\/blog\/status-pennsylvanias-sex-offender-registry\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/brianzeiger.com\/blog\/status-pennsylvanias-sex-offender-registry\/","headline":"The Status Of Pennsylvania\u2019s Sex Offender Registry","name":"The Status Of Pennsylvania\u2019s Sex Offender Registry","description":"In 2012, Pennsylvania modified its law\u00a0requiring sex offenders to register with the state. That statute called the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), expanded reporting requirements significantly. According to Governing.com, SORNA requires sex offenders to register with the state for longer periods of time than...","datePublished":"2017-10-31","dateModified":"2022-06-22","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/brianzeiger.com\/blog\/author\/brianzeiger\/#Person","name":"Brian Zeiger, LLC","url":"https:\/\/brianzeiger.com\/blog\/author\/brianzeiger\/","identifier":12,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cb403eca94a17a864a2072734e4c5daa47399fd028c5fabaa5499fc0d7c474cf?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cb403eca94a17a864a2072734e4c5daa47399fd028c5fabaa5499fc0d7c474cf?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Zeiger Firm","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/brianzeiger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/logo.png","url":"https:\/\/brianzeiger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/logo.png","width":257,"height":59}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/brianzeiger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/The-Status-of-Pennsylvanias-Sex-Offender-Registry.jpeg","url":"https:\/\/brianzeiger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/The-Status-of-Pennsylvanias-Sex-Offender-Registry.jpeg","height":574,"width":900},"url":"https:\/\/brianzeiger.com\/blog\/status-pennsylvanias-sex-offender-registry\/","about":["Sex Crimes"],"wordCount":496,"articleBody":"In 2012, Pennsylvania modified its law\u00a0requiring sex offenders to register with the state. That statute called the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), expanded reporting requirements significantly.According to Governing.com, SORNA requires sex offenders to register with the state for longer periods of time than the previous statute\u2014depending on the crime,\u00a0either 15 years, 25 years, or for life. Before\u00a0SORNA\u2019s 2012 passage, sex offenders were required to register for\u00a0either 10 years or life. After they completed their sentences and were on the registry for 10 years, those who were required only to register for 10 years were dropped off the registry.The 2012 law also requires sex offenders to make scheduled appearances before the state police and increases the amount of information about the offender that is public. The new law allows crime victims to receive notifications about\u00a0the status and whereabouts of their offenders at all times, including whether they move residences or change jobs.The Pennsylvania Supreme Court Recently Struck Down Part of the New LawLawmakers wrote the law to apply retroactively, even if an offender\u2019s crime and conviction occurred well before the passage of the new law. Because the new law imposed a longer minimum period of being on the sex offender registry, many sex offenders who had dropped off the registry after their 10 years on the list were required to re-register. They also became subject to the new law\u2019s appearance and information requirements.The Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently found that it was unconstitutional to apply the 2012 law retroactively. Therefore, the more recent state law could not be enforced against offenders convicted before\u00a0the passage of SORNA in 2012. This means the time periods required for registration, as well as the reporting and information requirements under SORNA, don\u2019t apply to pre-SORNA convictions.According to one national news outlet, in 2017 Pennsylvania\u2019s sex offender registry lists\u00a0nearly 22,000 persons\u2014more than 11,000 of whom are required to register for life. It is not clear how many registrants will be affected\u00a0by the ruling, but the\u00a0Collateral Consequences Resource Center says\u00a0that thousands of previous 10-year registrants were reclassified in 2012 as life registrants under SORNA. People affected by SORNA and by the court\u2019s reversal of its retroactive application should consult an attorney to determine\u00a0the impact on their rights.Call\u00a0the Zeiger Firm Today\u00a0for\u00a0a Free Consultation with a Philadelphia Criminal Defense AttorneyClearly, the passage of SORNA and the recent ruling by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court have dramatic impacts for many\u00a0registrants on the state sex offender registry. If you believe you are\u00a0affected in some way by the state Supreme Court\u00a0decision, you should seek legal representation. Discussing your options and rights with a skilled criminal defense lawyer who is familiar with recent changes in the law can ensure that your rights are not violated or that you incur unnecessarily harsh penalties for your past conviction. Contact the Zeiger Firm for more information at (215) 546-0340 or\u00a0via our online contact form."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/brianzeiger.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Status Of Pennsylvania\u2019s Sex Offender Registry","item":"https:\/\/brianzeiger.com\/blog\/status-pennsylvanias-sex-offender-registry\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]