Law Articles

Megan's Law is an informal name for laws in the United States requiring law enforcement authorities to make information available to the public regarding registered sex offenders. Individual states decide what information will be made available and how it should be disseminated. Commonly included information includes the offender's name, picture, address, incarceration date, and nature of crime. The information is often displayed on free public websites, but can be published in newspapers, distributed in pamphlets, or through various other means.

On May 17, 1996, President Clinton signed the federal version of Megan's Law, which mandated uniform sex offender registration in all 50 States. This law also provided for community notification by providing the States with the discretion to disclose information about registered sex offenders. New York State's version of