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Finding out whether one of Hawaii's 1,403 registered sex offenders lives or works in your neighborhood becomes easier, starting today. Sex-offender
information now
available onlineBy Jaymes K. Song
Star-BulletinMug shots and information about convicted sex offenders is available online today for the first time at http://www.ehawaiigov.org/HI_SOR/, said the state attorney general's office.
Previously, people would have to go to the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center offices or county police headquarters to conduct a search of sex offenders.
Now, a search can be done by typing in a person's name, a street or a ZIP code into a computer with an Internet connection.
The street and ZIP code search will list information on all registered sex offenders living or working in the area, which is the most popular type of search, said Liane Moriyama, administrator of the HCJDC.
The information will include the person's name, photo and types of sex crimes he or she has committed.
Records will not show the sex offender's exact address, however it does list the street the person lives or works on, Moriyama said.
It also lists the make, model, color and license plate of all cars used and owned by the sex offender.
"We have a far reaching, pretty strict statute," Moriyama said. "Sex offenders (in Hawaii) have to be registered for life. And every 90 days, they have to register again."
According to state records, there are 924 registered sex offenders on Oahu.
The online database will make it easier to obtain information for those who "need to know," such as people with children, Moriyama said. It will be also benefit the state and law enforcement because people who use the Web site can verify if the information is as accurate and up to date as possible.
Several other states have already put sex offender information online.
Hawaii Sex Offender Registry
