In 1997, the State of Ohio enacted a law that requires any
person convicted of certain Sexual Oriented Offenses to register upon completion of their
jail or prison term with the Sheriff of the county in which they reside in for a
determined amount of time. They must also register with the Sheriff if they
move into the county. There are three classifications of sexual orientated offenses:
SEXUAL PREDATOR:
Any person who has been convicted of or plead guilty to a sexually oriented offense AND is
likely to engage in the future in one or more sexually oriented offenses as determined by
the sentencing judge. A person can be classified as a Sexual Predator if he/she is
convicted of a sexually orientated offense with a sexually violent predator specification,
or the court, after holding a sexual predator hearing determines that the offender is a
sexual predator. A person classified as a sexual orientated offender is required to
register for the rest of their life with the Sheriff of the county they reside in every 90
days and immediately register with the county Sheriff upon moving into a new county. They
are also subject to neighbor and community notification.
HABITUAL SEX OFFENDER:
A person who has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a sexually oriented offense and
who has previously been convicted of or pleaded guilty to one or more sexually oriented
offenses. Persons classified as habitual sex offenders must register with the Sheriff of
the county they reside in once a year for 20 years after release from incarceration. They
must also immediately notify and register with the Sheriff of any county in which they
move into. Habitual sex offenders are also subject to the neighbor and community
notification if determined by the sentencing judge.
SEXUALLY ORIENTED OFFENDER:
A person who has been convicted of or plead guilty to a sexually oriented offense, but who
has not been classified as a habitual sex offender nor a sexual predator by the sentencing
judge. Sexually oriented offenders must register with the Sheriff of the county they
reside, once a year for 10 years. They must also immediately notify the Sheriff of any
county in which they move into.
