What is Megan's Law and What does it mean for you?
Megan's Law was enacted on May 17th, 1996. Megan's Law mandates that a county be notified of child offenders residing there and residents have access to that information.

On Friday July 29, 1994, 7-year old Megan Nicole Kanka disappeared. With the promise of a puppy, her neighbor lured her into his home where he raped, strangled, and suffocated her. Her body was stuffed into a plastic toy chest and dumped in a nearby park. Megan had been killed by a two-time convicted child offender who lived across the street from the Kanka home and was sharing his house with two other convicted sex offenders he met in prison.

This brutal attack is what prompted the first local state legislation and what is attributed for the federal involvement in creating the law now referred to as Megan's Law. This legislation was a landmark event and was a great move forward toward securing the protection of our children.

Show All Answers

1. What is Megan's Law and What does it mean for you?
2. Do all people convicted of a sex offense have to register?
3. What restrictions do sex offenders have?
4. What is the difference between probation and parole?
5. Can sex offenders live anywhere?
6. Can they go to school grounds, parks, or community centers?
7. Do sex offenders have to post signs at their homes?
8. How often do sex offenders have to register?
9. Is it a crime for an offender to not live where they are registered?
10. What information can I get on a sex offender?
11. Are schools notified of sex offenders?
12. Will the Deer Park Police Department come out and talk to groups about sex offenders and child abuse?
13. How many sex offenders live in Harris County?
14. Can I search for sex offenders online?
15. Do sex offenders have to register in other states?
16. Isn't someone supposed to let us know when a sex offender moves in?
17. What does the risk level mean?
18. If a sex offender has a low risk does that mean they are not too dangerous?
19. Do some offenders get away with not registering?
20. Do we (civilians) have the right to print out flyers from the DPS website of sex offenders and pass them out in the community?
21. Do sex offenders have rights?
22. Can we report a sex offender that is acting suspicious?
23. Can sex offenders live with children?
24. Do juveniles adjudicated of a sexual crime have to register as a sex offender?
25. How long does a sex offender have to register?