# What is it like to register as a sex offender? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 7, 2013, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-like-to-register-as-a-sex-offender/673336 "2013-11-07T15:36:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-like-to-register-as-a-sex-offender/673336/21 "2013-11-09T16:28:41Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > No one has done an “Ask the Sex Offender” thread yet? 🙂 I seem to recall we came pretty damn close. ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-like-to-register-as-a-sex-offender/673336/22 "2013-11-09T23:13:30Z")
Small real-life scenario for day to day flavor? Last year I faculty advised for registration a (40? 45? years old?) college student who explained that “for legal reasons” we needed to find classes to fulfill a particular requirement but which would have little-to-no exposure to nudity through film or images or anything like that (so western or Indian art history was out, as was cultural anthro, life drawing, etc etc); getting into details, he volunteered that he was recently out of prison for a sex crime (curious, so I researched it when I got home and had to do with a small kid :o ) and each time he was exposed to anything sexual including nudity (in public/semi-public? including artworks) he had to report in and do a ream of paperwork. I think we wound up having to shoot for cultural geography, based on schedule, and of course the second week the prof tossed on some documentary filmed somewhere very warn and the student just had to leave class immediately that day. So a lot of small lasting repercussions even if one wants to play it straight and do the good citizen thing. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-like-to-register-as-a-sex-offender/673336/23 "2013-11-10T19:58:29Z")
> [@capybara](#): > > Small real-life scenario for day to day flavor? Last year I faculty advised for registration a (40? 45? years old?) college student who explained that “for legal reasons” we needed to find classes to fulfill a particular requirement but which would have little-to-no exposure to nudity through film or images or anything like that (so western or Indian art history was out, as was cultural anthro, life drawing, etc etc); getting into details, he volunteered that he was recently out of prison for a sex crime (curious, so I researched it when I got home and had to do with a small kid :o ) and each time he was exposed to anything sexual including nudity (in public/semi-public? including artworks) he had to report in and do a ream of paperwork. I think we wound up having to shoot for cultural geography, based on schedule, and of course the second week the prof tossed on some documentary filmed somewhere very warn and the student just had to leave class immediately that day. So a lot of small lasting repercussions even if one wants to play it straight and do the good citizen thing. That is most likely a condition of parole rather than anything to do with Megan’s Law. I have sex offenders that are not allowed any Internet access. I have others that are. Parole conditions are tailored to each case whereas Meagan’s Law is more broad. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-like-to-register-as-a-sex-offender/673336/24 "2013-11-10T20:10:07Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Some misconceptions (NJ Specific but probably close for most)… I hear all the time, “My friend got caught peeing on a building and now he has to register for the rest of his life!” Your friend is lying to you. In order to have to register you have to have been convicted of one of the following offenses: Aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual contact, kidnapping, endangering the welfare of a child by engaging in sexual conduct which would impair or debauch the morals of the child, luring or enticing, criminal sexual contact criminal restraint, or false imprisonment if the victim is a minor and the offender is not the parent of the victim; knowingly promoting prostitution of a child or an attempt to commit any of these offenses. Flashing, exposing yourself, pissing on a wall or even jerking off in a school yard is lewdness and is not a Megan’s Law offense. > > . Public lewdness, which could include flashing or public urination is a Sex offender offense in CA. There are lawyers that advertise about defending clients for public urination vs including lewdness, so I guess it happens, but also it seems to be something that any decent lawyer can block. I do know of a female stripper who was convicted of Lewdness due to her stage act, and has to register, along with two gay guys who had sex in (semi) public and also have to register. Those are pretty bogus IMHO. I interviewed a dude who exposed himself to women at bus stops who not only had to register but had been locked up for quite some time. I have _heard of_ a streaker who had to register. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-like-to-register-as-a-sex-offender/673336/25 "2013-11-10T22:11:13Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Public lewdness, which could include flashing or public urination is a Sex offender offense in CA. There are lawyers that advertise about defending clients for public urination vs including lewdness, so I guess it happens, but also it seems to be something that any decent lawyer can block. > > I do know of a female stripper who was convicted of Lewdness due to her stage act, and has to register, along with two gay guys who had sex in (semi) public and also have to register. Those are pretty bogus IMHO. > > I interviewed a dude who exposed himself to women at bus stops who not only had to register but had been locked up for quite some time. > > I have _heard of_ a streaker who had to register. Well I did say my answer was state specific. Even though you didn’t cite the specific statute I’ll assume you are correct in California. In New Jersey it would not be lewdness just because there were exposed genitals. It has to be “for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of the actor or any other person.” So streaking and a drunk guy pissing on the wall are out. Using the parlance of this state it’s not even a crime (4th degree) unless it’s observed by someone under 13 or with a mental defect and unable to understand the sexual nature of the actors conduct. Otherwise it’s only a disorderly persons offense. I personally think the lewdness statute is way too lenient here . ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-like-to-register-as-a-sex-offender/673336/26 "2013-11-10T23:04:14Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Well I did say my answer was state specific. Even though you didn’t cite the specific statute I’ll assume you are correct in California. > > In New Jersey it would not be lewdness just because there were exposed genitals. It has to be “for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of the actor or any other person.” So streaking and a drunk guy pissing on the wall are out. > > Using the parlance of this state it’s not even a crime (4th degree) unless it’s observed by someone under 13 or with a mental defect and unable to understand the sexual nature of the actors conduct. Otherwise it’s only a disorderly persons offense. I personally think the lewdness statute is way too lenient here . Well, to an extent the same in CA. But the statute is worded so that there’s prosecutorial leeway. I do not know of anyone actually convicted and made to register just for public urination. The closest thing I personally know of is a dude where the Police \*threatened \*him with that so he’d agree to Public intoxication and Disturbing the Peace. But if you Google it, you’ll see lawyers in CA specifically mentioning that they defend those sorts of cases, so it can’t be unheard of. But the stripper and the gay guys in their car, in the dark, in a deserted area with nothing but other gay dudes in their cars are very real examples. No doubt the stripper acted so “for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of … any other person” but is there any purpose in making them register? Same with the gay guys. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-like-to-register-as-a-sex-offender/673336.md?page=1)