Attorney General Unveils New Sex Offender Database

North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper was in Smithfield on Monday to unveil a new sex offender database to allow citizens to search for offenders with maps and to get email updates when offenders move into their neighborhoods.

North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper was in Smithfield Monday to announce a new sex offender database that will allow citizens across the state to get email alerts and view maps of their communities that pinpoint where offenders live. The email alerts allow users to list up to five addresses, including their home, school, workplace, daycare, or any address they choose, to be notified when offenders move into their area or currently live in the area. The alerts will allow victims to track a specific offender and get immediate updates when they move. “Families and neighborhoods will be able to use these new tools to plan for their safety,” said Cooper. “Knowing more about where offenders live will help communities stay vigilant about safety.” People who visit the new sex offender website at http://www.ncdoj.com/, can search for offenders in their community and view maps and aerial photos that show offenders’ home addresses. “Local law enforcement is working hard to protect the public from sex offenders,” Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell said. “A better website with detailed maps and email alerts will help.” In addition, the website’s new advance mapping technology shows exactly where registered offenders’ addresses are in relation to a given address within a one-mile, three-mile, or five-mile radius. The NC Department of Justice Sex Offender Registry includes photos, names, addresses, and conviction information of registered sex offenders from across the state. Sex offenders are required by law to register with their local sheriff’s office and to update the information anytime they move. The website was first launched in 1998. The new website will allow users to learn about offenders in their area with the automatic updates, without having to continually check the registry website.