Act: Sex Offenders Must Inform Schools

Once the law goes into effect Oct. 28, convicted sex offenders will have to notify the school where they are employed or enrolled about their criminal record.

The university will then inform its law enforcement division about the person.

The school must also issue a statement telling the campus community where they can get information about registered sex offenders at the school. The act will also allow the schools to give this information directly to the students and staff without any additional consent from the offender.

Although the act is a federal law, individual states must pass legislation that would require their schools to abide by the new regulations.

In the meantime, individual schools can adopt the policies if they choose.

The criminal backgrounds of UNC employees became an issue last fall after several Carolina Dining Services employees were arrested or involved in altercations on campus.

The University responded with a policy requiring background checks for new employees, but UNC officials said they are not aware of any immediate plans to adopt the new act.

Supporters of the act, led by its primary sponsor, Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., say the background of sex offenders needs to be made public to the universities.

"The purpose of this provision is to guarantee that, when a convicted sex offender enrolls or begins employment at a college or university, members of the campus community will have the information they need to protect themselves," Kyl said in a statement to Congress in October of 2000.

Under the act, campus police will receive the same information that community police are given when a convicted sex offender moves into their jurisdiction.

Students and staff will receive the same information that they would get if a sex offender moved into their neighborhood.

Critics argue that the information is not necessary for students and staff to protect themselves and say that it may hurt the offender's rehabilitation to give out this information.

States have until Oct. 28 to pass legislation to meet the federal guidelines set up by the act.

California was the first to do so in October 2001, and other states, including Tennessee and South Carolina, have followed its lead.

Any state that does not meet this deadline might lose its eligibility for some types of federal funding.

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.du.