Michigan SORA requires an individual to provide their name, address, aliases, employment information, photographs, license plate number, vehicle description, and other pertinent information to law enforcement for the purposes of being included on a database. This database can be accessed either by law enforcement only or by members of the public depending on a person’s criminal history. The length of time that a person is required to register will vary depending on the offense.
Not every registered sex offender is a violent criminal. Acts for which people get placed on the registry can be misdemeanors. The definition of a sex crime differs in different jurisdictions. Sex offenses are divided by different tier levels.
Tier 1
Tier 1 is the lowest level of sex offense. Generally, people placed in the Tier 1 category are deemed to present a low risk of repeat offense. Some examples of Tier 1 offenses include:
Sexual battery of an adult victim
Intentionally exposing another person to AIDS
Sexual misconduct between an educator and a student
Tier 1 offenders usually must remain on the sex offender registry for 15 years.
Tier 2
Tier 2 offenses are mid-level offenses. People placed in the Tier 2 category are deemed to present a moderate risk of repeat offense. Tier 2 offenses may include:
Use of the internet to solicit images of a minor
The possession or production of child pornography
Human trafficking of a minor
Tier 2 offenders usually remain on the sex offender registry for 25 years.
Tier 3
Tier 3 is the highest level of sex offense in Michigan. Tier 3 offenses are the most serious sex crimes that may also carry a high risk of repeat offense. Some examples of Tier 3 sex offenses include:
Forced or aggravated rape
Second-degree sexual battery
Kidnapping of a child
Incest involving sexual intercourse
Other serious sex offenses
Those who have been convicted of Tier 3 sex crimes in Michigan must remain on the sex offender registry for the rest of their lives.
What it does mean is that the crime for which a person has been placed on the list can be made public. Often this information is available to the public on free websites, but it may be published in a newspaper or other public document as well.
The sex offender level is determined by the law enforcement agency in which the sex offender resides. Any questions regarding a sex offender's level should be directed to the law enforcement agency in which the offender resides.
