U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Justice Programs 

Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking 

www.SMART.gov 

SMART 

SUMMARY 

2016 

Global Survey of Sex Offender Registration 

and Notification Systems
 
     

   

       

   

   

   

   

       

       

             

   

   

       

          

      

          

       

   

           

           

   

         

               

         

               

   

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................1
 

NORTH AMERICA ..........................................................................................................2
 

A. UNITED STATES .............................................................................................................. 2
 

B. CANADA........................................................................................................................ 3
 

EUROPE ........................................................................................................................3
 

A. UNITED KINGDOM .......................................................................................................... 3
 

1. Civil Orders ............................................................................................................. 4
 

2. Commonwealth Nations......................................................................................... 5
 

3. Other United Kingdom‐Style Registry Systems ...................................................... 6
 

B. IRELAND........................................................................................................................ 6
 

C. EUROPEAN GOVERNANCE................................................................................................. 6
 

1. Multi‐National Police Organizations..................................................................... 6
 

2. Council of Europe .................................................................................................. 7
 

3. European Union .................................................................................................... 7
 

4. European Migration Policies ................................................................................. 8
 

D. OTHER EUROPEAN REGISTRATION SYSTEMS ......................................................................... 9
 

ASIA..............................................................................................................................9
 

CARIBBEAN & SOUTH AMERICA..................................................................................10
 

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND......................................................................................11
 

AFRICA........................................................................................................................12
 

APPENDIX A: STATUTORY REFERENCES.......................................................................13
 

APPENDIX B: AUSTRALIAN STATE AND TERRITORY REFERENCES.................................15
 

APPENDIX C: CANADIAN PROVINCIAL REGULATIONS..................................................16
 

APPENDIX D: SUMMARY TABLE OF NATIONAL PROVISIONS .......................................17
 

ENDNOTES ..................................................................................................................22
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

Introduction
 

Sex offender registration and notification systems have proliferated around the world over 

the last twenty years. After the United States’ first national-level sex offender registration law 

was passed in 1994, 29 additional countries have enacted sex offender registration laws. A 

handful of these systems are more analogous to what would be considered a CHRI (criminal 

history record information) database as opposed to a ‘registry’, but are included in this 

overview for the sake of thoroughness. 

The following countries have laws governing sex offender registration systems at the 

national and/or provincial level: Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, France, 

Germany, India, the Republic of Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Maldives, Malta, New Zealand, Nigeria, 

Portugal, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Trinidad & Tobago, United Kingdom and 

Commonwealth Nations (Bermuda, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, and the Pitcairn 

Islands), and the United States. 

The following countries have considered or are considering sex offender registration and 

notification laws, but such laws have not yet passed: Austria, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, 

Cayman Islands, Fiji, Finland, Hong Kong, Israel, Malaysia, Poland, Samoa, St. Lucia, Switzerland, 

United Arab Emirates, and Zimbabwe.1 

What follows in this SMART Summary is a brief snapshot of the sex offender registration 

and notification laws in each of the countries that have enacted such provisions, sequenced in 

chronological order of the first country in a continent or region to implement such laws. 

Statutory references, where available, are provided. In addition, the footnotes contain 

additional references which might assist the reader in finding out more detailed information 

about the countries’ sex offender registration and notification provisions. 

As this is a rapidly developing area of the law, and many statutes have not been officially 

translated into English, the reader is encouraged to check for the current versions of any 

nation’s provisions and consult official translations, rather than relying solely on this SMART 

Summary. 

Disclaimer: The Department of Justice makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, 

completeness, or adequacy of the contents of this overview, and expressly disclaims liability for errors and 

omissions in its contents. The information appearing in this overview is for general informational purposes 

only and is not intended to provide a legal opinion on any foreign jurisdiction’s registration program, or 

legal advice to any individual or entity. We urge you to consult with your own legal advisor before taking 

any action based on information appearing in this document. 

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SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

I. North America 

A. United States 

The first country to enact national sex offender registration legislation, the United States’ 

registration and notification system now consists of individual registries and public registry 

websites operated by all 50 States, the District of Columbia, the principal U.S. Territories, as 

well as over 100 federally-recognized Indian Tribes. These jurisdiction-level systems are linked 

in a national public registry website, as well as a more detailed law-enforcement only database. 

Every one of these systems has its own nuances and distinct features. Every jurisdiction 

(meaning each state, territory, or tribe) makes its own determinations about who will be 

required to register, what information those offenders must provide, which offenders will be 

posted on the jurisdiction’s public registry website, and so forth. 

Even though sex offender registration itself is not directly administered by the federal 

government, the federal government is involved in sex offender registration and notification in 

a number of meaningful ways. Over the last two decades Congress has enacted various 

measures setting ‘minimum standards’ for jurisdictions to implement in their sex offender 

registration or notification systems. The most recent set of standards can be found in the Sex 

Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), which was passed in 2006. SORNA 

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SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

currently governs the federal minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification 

systems. 

The public sex offender registry website and SORNA standards are administered through 

the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking 

(SMART Office) within the United States Department of Justice. In addition to the SMART 

Office, other agencies and offices of the U.S. Department of Justice are involved in sex offender 

registration and notification policy, information-sharing, and international travel notifications, 

including the United States Marshals Service’s National Sex Offender Targeting Center, 

INTERPOL-Washington, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

B. Canada 

In 2001, Ontario was the first Canadian Province to enact a sex offender registration system. 

It operates in conjunction with, yet separately from, Canada’s National Sex Offender Registry, 

which was launched in 2004. Each of the other Canadian provinces has passed their own 

regulations in order to participate in the National Sex Offender Registry (See Appendix C). In 

2015, Canada passed new legislation enabling the creation of a national public registry website, 

although the site has not yet gone live. Public posting of sex offenders will be limited to those 

determined to be at a high-risk of re-offense.2 Alberta3 and Manitoba4 each have maintained 

limited provincial public registry websites for a number of years. 

II. Europe 

A. United Kingdom 

The United Kingdom passed its initial national sex offender registration law in 1997. Under 

the current version of the Act, qualifying offenders are required to provide certain registration 

information to local police officials and maintain their registration information in the event of 

any changes. The general scheme of the registration and notification system of the United 

Kingdom is as follows: nearly every sex offense is registerable, and offenders are required to 

register for anywhere from two years to life, depending on certain circumstances. Offenders 

must update their registration information within three days of any changes. Notice of 

international travel is required. 

The public notification provisions in the United Kingdom are fairly limited. In 2013, “Sarah’s 

Law” was passed, which enables individuals to apply to their local police officials to find out if 

any person is a registered sex offender. Legislators have also proposed the creation of a public 

registry website in Scotland, but such measures have not been successful.5 

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SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

1.	 Civil Orders 

The United Kingdom was the first to utilize a comprehensive set of civil orders in an effort to 

manage its sex offenders. They have recently been reclassified, with the current Sexual Risk 

Orders (SRO) and Sexual Harm Prevention Orders (SHPO) replacing the previously-available 

Sexual Offences Prevention Orders (SOPO), Foreign Travel Orders (FTO), and Risk of Sexual 

Harm Orders (RSHO). These orders can be pursued independent of an individual’s registration 

responsibilities, i.e., a person need not be a convicted or registered sex offender in order to be 

potentially subject to these orders: 

Sexual Risk Order (SRO): Any person may request an SRO if an adult is engaging in an” act 

of a sexual nature which suggests they pose a risk of harm to the public in the UK or 

children....abroad”;6 the SRO can prevent any such named activity, in addition to placing the 

person on the sex offenders’ register.7 As part of its decision-making process, the court will 

take into consideration a current assessment of risk of the offender.8 SROs may be issued 

for any qualifying person, regardless of whether or not they have been convicted of an 

offense.9 

SROs last for not less than 2 years and must be tailored to the offenders’ specific risk of 

harm. For example, an SRO may prohibit contact with a child, or prohibit the offender from 

visiting a place where they have previously offended against a child.10 

Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO): Police may request an SHPO if a person has 

previously been convicted of a sex or violent offense for the purposes of 

•	 protecting a person or persons from sexual harm from the offender;11 

•	 protecting a particular child, or children in general, from sexual harm from the 

offender outside the United Kingdom. 

For example, an SHPO might be issued to prevent an offender from working with 

children or using the internet for certain activities.12 A SHPO can be issued at the time of 

sentencing, as well, without any petition from law enforcement.13 

Foreign travel restrictions can be imposed by both SHPOs and SROs, depending on the 

circumstances. Such “restrictions may include prohibitions on travelling to: 

•	 any country outside the UK named or described in the order; 

•	 any country outside the UK, other than a country named or described in the order; 

or 

•	 any country outside the UK.”14 

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2. Commonwealth Nations 

Because of the historical ties forged through the British Empire, many countries still have a 

distinct legal relationship with the United Kingdom and, as such, often have similar criminal 

justice systems. Two designations used for such countries are British Crown Dependency or 

British Overseas Territory. 

British Crown Dependency: There are three Crown Dependencies: the Bailiwick of 

Jersey, the Bailiwick of Guernsey, and the Isle of Man. These are not officially part of 

the United Kingdom. They have their own legislatures, administrative bodies, and legal 

systems.15 The United Kingdom is generally responsible for their defense and 

diplomatic representation.16 

British Overseas Territory: The British Overseas Territories consist of the former 

territories of the British Empire that have not elected to pursue independence. There 

are 11 British Overseas Territories inhabited by civilians: Gibraltar, Bermuda, the 

Falkland Islands, St. Helena and its dependencies (Ascension and Tristan da Cunha), 

Montserrat, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, 

Anguilla, the Pitcairn Islands, and the Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus.17 The United 

Kingdom is generally responsible for the defense of the Overseas Territories and for 

their foreign affairs. Most Overseas Territories have their own legal system and elected 

government. 

Certain Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories have enacted sex offender 

registration provisions, with systems very similar to that found in the United Kingdom. In order 

of enactment, those countries are: 

Bermuda 2001 

Isle of Man 2001 

Jersey 2010 

Pitcairn Islands 2010 

Gibraltar 2011 

Guernsey 2014 

Among the Commonwealth Nations, Bermuda, Guernsey, and Jersey permit a limited 

degree of public disclosure of information regarding registered sex offenders in certain 

circumstances. The remaining nations do not have any such provisions. In addition, all of these 

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countries (expect Bermuda) have available most, if not all, of the civil orders detailed in the 

discussion of the United Kingdom’s registration system, above. 

3.	 Other United Kingdom-Style Registry Systems 

One other country has a registration system which is akin to a United Kingdom-style system; 

Malta launched its sex offender registration program in 2012, although it does not have the sex 

offender-specific civil orders available. 

B.	 Ireland 

Unique among European countries is the system implemented in the Republic of Ireland. 

Ireland started its registration system in 2001. On conviction for a sex offense, the court issues 

a certificate which is held by the national police (Garda Síochána). The local police where the 

offender lives maintain a Sex Offenders Notification Form which is cross-referenced with the 

records held by the Garda, when necessary, but there is no national ‘register’ of sex offenders 

that contains updated information. 

C.	 European Governance 

The governance within and among European countries is intricate at times, particularly 

regarding issues of law enforcement, criminal justice, migration, and information-sharing. A 

discussion of the multi-national police agencies on the Continent is followed by an overview of 

the Council of Europe, the European Union (EU), and various migration policies which influence 

the sharing of information about sex offenders travelling internationally. Where appropriate, 

certain relevant resolutions and directives are described. 

1.	 Multi-National Police Organizations 

INTERPOL (International Criminal Police Organization) is a police organization with 190 

member countries, based in Lyon, France, and dedicated to facilitating international police 

cooperation on a wide variety of law enforcement issues.18 Its General Assembly meets 

annually to set policy, and make decisions regarding other operational matters. Each INTERPOL 

member country maintains a National Central Bureau (NCB) to link national police with 

INTERPOL’s global network. Although not strictly a European institution, INTERPOL is a critical 

resource in Europe’s law enforcement infrastructure. 

•	 INTERPOL’s Resolution No. 2 (AG-2014-RES-02)19 passed in 2014, and encouraged its 

member countries to develop measures to share information about traveling child 

sex offenders and to work towards establishing a global system for sharing 

information about such offenders. 

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SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

EUROPOL (European Law Enforcement Agency) is the EU’s police agency, based in The 

Hague, Netherlands, working with law enforcement in 28 EU Member States and other non-EU 

states to identify and track the most dangerous criminal networks in Europe.20 

2.	 Council of Europe 

A predecessor organization to the EU is the Council of Europe, founded in 1949 and still 

functioning with 47 member states, serving as an advisory and investigatory body to develop 

and critique policies and practices which affect its member states.21 Member states include EU 

member states, as well as non-EU nations such as Turkey, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation. 

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has over 320 members, consisting 

of elected representatives from the respective member states. 

•	 Resolution 1733 (2010)22 of the Parliamentary Assembly issued a series of 

recommendations for EU member states regarding the implementation of sex 

offender registers. While the Assembly “did not support a Europe-wide sex 

offenders register” it did call on member states to “introduce...a sex offenders 

register which contains accurate and regularly updated information on persons 

convicted” of sex offenses. Among other measures, member states were also 

encouraged to share information about sex offenders with other member states and 

to provide such information to INTERPOL. 

3.	 European Union 

The most significant post-cold war development in European politics has been the growth in 

stature and significance of the European Union. Based in Brussels, Belgium, and established 

with its current name in 1993, the EU and its 28 member states coordinate to streamline policy 

and address significant issues across Europe. 

There are a number of EU entities which drive policy among the Member States: 

•	 The European Commission is the executive ‘branch’ of the EU, responsible for the 

creation of new laws and policies, as well as overseeing their implementation.23 

•	 The Council of the European Union (The Council) is the forum in which ministers 

meet to make decisions on EU policy, roughly equivalent to an ‘upper house’ of the 

EU’s legislative system. 

•	 The European Parliament consists of over 750 elected members (MEP’s), and is 

roughly equivalent to a ‘lower house’ of the EU’s legislative system. 

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o	 Directive 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament encouraged EU member 

states to consider implementing sex offender registers in their countries, 

consistent with national constitutional principles.24 

4.	 European Migration Policies 

When tracking registered (or convicted) sex offenders internationally, the issues of 

immigration law, border restrictions, and international agreements are squarely in play. With 

the recent influx of refugees from Syria, Iraq, and other war-torn locations, many of the 

previously-enacted migration agreements between European countries are being amended to 

alter the ability of people to travel freely throughout the region. 

Schengen Area: The Schengen Agreement was originally a treaty entered into by 

dozens of European countries which, over the years, has resulted in the ability to travel 

throughout nearly all of continental Europe without any border control points, once a 

person has been admitted to the Schengen Area. The Schengen countries are 

contiguous to one another.

25 Twenty two EU member states participate as Schengen 

countries.26 Seven additional non-EU countries participate either formally or in 

practice.27 Because of the refugee crisis which has inundated Europe since the summer 

of 2015, some countries are now limiting their participation in the Agreement, or 

withdrawing from it altogether.28 

Common Travel Area: As noted above, the United Kingdom and Ireland are not 

Schengen countries, and maintain their own border control regardless of an individual’s 

country of origin. Similar to the free travel provisions of the Schengen Area, however, 

the Common Travel Area (CTA) is made up of the United Kingdom, the Republic of 

Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands (including Guernsey and Jersey). 

Generally speaking, persons travelling between and among the jurisdictions in the CTA 

are not required to pass through any kind of physical immigration control point.29 

In addition, among these frequently travelled areas and countries located in such close 

proximity to one another, the issue of sharing criminal justice data—and tracking sex offenders­

-has risen to the forefront in recent years. 

The Schengen Information System (SIS) is a law enforcement database designed to 

alert border control officers and other appropriate officials when a person is of 

particular concern to public safety. Most EU countries have access to SIS, with the 

notable exception of the United Kingdom and Ireland. Generally speaking, when an 

individual presents themselves for admission to a Schengen Country, the country’s 

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SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

border authority will (among other checks) conduct an SIS check, and take appropriate 

action, as they are able, if there is an alert for the individual found in SIS. 

D. Other European Registration Systems 

France enacted its registration law in 2004 and it went into force in 2005. French Nationals 

who are convicted in foreign courts of offenses similar to registerable offenses in France also 

must register upon their return to France. The 2009 landmark case of Gardel v. 

France30 discussed the French registration process in detail and held that it did not violate the 

European Convention on Human Rights. While Germany does not have a nationwide sex 

offender registration system, a number of its states have developed a “sex offender file”31 in 

order to better track sex offenders after their release from prison and while they are on 

supervision in the community. The system appears to be in place in Bavaria (Bayern), 

Brandenburg, Hessen, Saxony (Sachsen), and North Rhine-Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen). 

Information gathered by the system includes risk assessments, DNA, fingerprints, and 

conviction information. 

At least in part due to Directive 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament, some additional 

EU member states have recently passed sex offender registration provisions. In 2015, Portugal 

approved the creation of a child sex offender registry, with access limited to law enforcement.

32 

Spain also enacted its registry in 2015, although the system appears to only be a criminal 

history database, and does not appear to require any proactive steps on the part of offenders 

to keep registration information current.

33 Cyprus has also enacted a sex offender registration 

law.

34 

III. Asia 

South Korea has a robust sex offender 

registration and notification system which was 

first enacted in 2000. Any person convicted of 

a sex offense is subject to targeted public 

notification and website posting.35 South 

Korea also maintains a public registry website. 

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SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

Taiwan enacted its sex offender legislation in 2005, and the regulation governing the 

implementation of the sex offenders’ database was issued in 2012. The registration database 

includes basic identifying information, information about the crime of conviction, fingerprints, 

DNA, and a photograph. The law authorizing the establishment of a public sex offender registry 

website in the Maldives was passed in 2009. However, the implementation of that law has 

been delayed for many years, and it is unclear whether the registry is operational.36 

In recent years, India has moved towards a national sex offender registration program. 

New Delhi’s police department started posting detailed information about convicted sex 

offenders on a public registry 

website in 2013, and convictions 

dating back to 1983 are now 

included.37 In August 2015, India’s 

Home Minister announced that a 

national sex offender registry will 

be established by 2017.38 The 

Delhi Police operate a publiclyavailable notification website 

(http://www.delhipolice.nic.in/sex 

ualoffender.html) which includes 

the offender’s picture, name, 

parentage name, address, and 

additional information about the 

conviction itself. 

IV. Caribbean & South America 

Trinidad & Tobago enacted its sex offender registration provisions in 2000, the first to be 

enacted in the Caribbean. Jamaica passed its Act requiring sex offender registration in 2009, 

and enacted regulations enabling such registration in 2012. The data system needed to handle 

the registry data was completed in March of 2014.39 The Bahamas passed its first national sex 

offender registration law in 2014. 

In South America, Chile enacted its sex offender registration law in 2012.

40 The general 

public can search against the registry database to find out if a person is listed on the registry.

41 

Argentina passed its national sex offender registration law in 2013. Among its 23 provinces and 

one autonomous city (Buenos Aries), a number have enacted conforming provincial regulations 

to implement the national law.42 

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SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

V. Australia & New Zealand 

The first Australian state to assent to Sex Offender Registration legislation was New South 

Wales, in 2000. In 2004, the National Sex Offender Registration Agreement was entered into 

and by 2006, every Australian state and territory had enacted sex offender registration 

legislation (see Appendix C). Australia has a central registry, the Australian National Child 

Offender System (NCOS, formerly ANCOR) which has been operational since 2004 and is 

operated by CrimTrac. Each of Australia’s eight states and territories also has its own sex 

offender registry. 

While each state or territory maintains its own registry, there are policies in place to share 

that registration information across the country, as well as with the Australian Government. 

The individual registration schemes are distinct and complex and the practitioner is encouraged 

to review the appropriate State or Territory’s provisions. 

•	 The State of Western Australia has established a public sex offender registry 

website: https://www.communityprotection.wa.gov.au. 

The Child Sex Offender Register in New Zealand began its operations in October of 

2016.43 Persons convicted of sex offenses against minors who have also either (1) been 

sentenced to imprisonment, or (2) ordered to register by the sentencing judge, will be subject 

to the registration requirements. Similar to the system in the United Kingdom, the duration of 

registration varies, depending on the severity of the offense and the length of the sentence 

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SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

which was received, ranging from eight years to life. The general public does not have access to 

the register. 

VI. Africa 

Kenya enacted its sex offender registration law in 2006. In 2008, regulations were 

promulgated to implement the registry. Beginning in 2010, the Kenyan National Council for 

Law Reporting (NCLR) began independently compiling a register of convictions for sex offenses 

to be forwarded to the Registrar. The official registry database was unveiled in 2012. South 

Africa passed its legislation directing the establishment of a National Register for Sex Offenders 

(NRSO) in 2007, and the system became operational in 2009. The registry is primarily used to 

enable employers and certain government officials to conduct checks; it does not appear to be 

designed for investigative use by police officials.44 

There is also a limited registration system in Nigeria. The country consists of 36 states and 

one federal capital territory; Lagos State, on the southwestern coast of the country, announced 

the establishment of a sex offenders register in 2014.45 

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SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

Appendix A 

Statutory References 

Argentina LAW NO. 26.879, July 24, 2013, BOLETÍN OFICIAL 32.68646 

Australia INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT: CRIMTRAC AGENCY47 

Bahamas Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act, 201448 

Bermuda Criminal Code Act 1907 (Bahamas) 329G & 329H49 

Canada Sex Offender Information Registration Act, S.C. 2004, C. 1050 

Chile	 CREA INHABILIDADES PARA CONDENADOS POR DELITOS SEXUALES 

CONTRA MENORES Y ESTABLECE REGISTRO DE DICHAS 

INHABILIDADES, LEY 20594.

51 

Cyprus No Citation Available 

France CODE DE PROCÉDURE PÉNALE [CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE] 706-53-1, et. seq.52 

Germany Nordrehein-Westfalen nimmt Sexualstraftäter-Datei in Betrieb [North 

Rhine-Westphalia Puts Sex Offender File in to Use]53 

Gibraltar Crimes Act (2011) pt. 1354 

Guernsey The Criminal Justice (Sex Offenders and Miscellaneous Provisions) Law, 

201355 

India No Citation Available 

Ireland SEX OFFENDER ACT 2001 (Act No. 18/2001)56 

Isle of Man Criminal Justice Act (2001), Sex Offenders Act (2006), Criminal Justice, 

Police and Courts Act (2007)57 

Jamaica Sexual Offences Act58 

Jersey SEX OFFENDERS (JERSEY) LAW 201059 

Kenya The Sexual Offences Act §39(13) (LAWS OF KENYA NO. 3/2006)60 

Maldives Law no: 12/2009 at §5761 

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SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

Malta	 Protection of Minors (Registration) Act, Act XXIII of 201162 

New Zealand	 CHILD PROTECTION (CHILD SEX OFFENDER GOVERNMENT AGENCY REGISTRATION) ACT 

201663 

Nigeria	 No Citation Available 

Pitcairn Islands	 LAWS OF PITCAIRN, HENDERSON, DUCIE & OENO ISLANDS, CH. XLIV (SEXUAL OFFENCES 

(NOTIFICATION AND PREVENTION) ORDINANCE)64 

Portugal	 DECRETO N.O 395/XII65 

South Africa	 Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act (NO. 

32 of 2007)66 

South Korea Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse, June 

9, 2009, art. 33, et. seq.67 

Spain	 REAL DECRETO 1110/201568 

Taiwan	 Sex Assault Crime Prevention Act, Art. 2369 

Trinidad & Tobago	 Laws of Trinidad and Tobago, Sexual Offences Act, Ch. 11:28, Pt. III70 

United Kingdom:	 Sexual Offences Act, 2003 

United States	 42 U.S.C. §16911, et. seq. 

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SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

Appendix B
 

Australian State and Territory Sex Offender Registration Legislation
 

State or 

Territory 

Date of Assent URL of Legislation 

Australian 

Capital 

Territory 

June 29, 2005 http://www.legislation.act.gov.au/a/2005­

30/current/pdf/2005-30.pdf 

New South 

Wales June 27, 2000 http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/inforcepdf/2000­42.pdf?id=e625d849-0c7d-e10e-ef30-d1164e2c2ec2 

Northern 

Territory 

November 4, 

2004 

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nt/consol_act/cprara51 

4/ 

Queensland November 29, 

2004 

https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/ACTS/2004/0 

4AC052.pdf 

South 

Australia 

November 30, 

2006 

http://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/LZ/C/A/CHILD%20SEX%20 

OFFENDERS%20REGISTRATION%20ACT%202006/CURRENT/ 

2006.32.UN.PDF 

Tasmania December 15, 

2005 

http://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/bills/Bills2005/pdf/86_of 

_2005.pdf 

Victoria October 1, 

2004 

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/sora200 

4292/ 

Western 

Australia 

December 8, 

2004 

http://www.slp.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/main_mr 

title_166_homepage.html 

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SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

Appendix C
 

Canadian Provincial Sex Offender Registration Regulations
 

Province Date of Assent URL of Sex Offender Regulations 

Alberta 2004 http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2004­

239/index.html 

British 

Columbia 

2005 http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2005­

2/index.html 

Manitoba 2004 http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2004­

310/index.html 

New 

Brunswick 

2005 http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2005­

16/index.html 

Newfoundland 

& Labrador 

2004 http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2004­

322/index.html 

Northwest 

Territories 

2005 http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2005­

1/index.html 

Nova Scotia 2004 http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2004­

305/index.html 

Nunavut 2004 http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2004­

321/index.html 

Prince Edward 

Island 

2004 http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2004­

307/index.html 

Quebec 2005 http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2005­

6/index.html 

Saskatchewan 2004 http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2004­

304/index.html 

Yukon 2005 http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2005­

43/index.html 

16 
 

 

SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

Appendix D: Summary Table of National Provisions 

Year Offenses Duration Updating 

Notice of 

Int’l Travel 

Website 

Ci

Ord

Argentina 2013 

Sexual Abuse 

of Minors; 

Forcible 

Sexual Abuse 

Indefinite 

Residence 

Address 

No No N

Australia 2000/2004 Varies Varies Varies Yes One State N

Bahamas 2014 

Most sex 

offenses Ten years + 

Annual and 

w/in 7 days 

for name or 

address 

change 

No No N

Bermuda 2001 

Most serious 

sex offenses Ten years 

Immediate 

update of 

name or 

address 

No No N

Canada 2001/2004 Most sex 

offenses 

10 years to 

Life 

Annual and 

w/in 15 days 

for name or 

address 

change 

Yes Yes N
 

SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

Year Offenses Duration Updating 

Notice of 

Int’l Travel 

Website 

Ci

Ord

Chile 2012 Many sex 

offenses 

10 or 20 

years 

Every 6 

months or 

annual; 

address 

change w/in 

15 days 

No 

No, but 

general 

public can 

query 

registry 

database 

N

Cyprus 2014 

Child Sex 

Offenses 

Life Annual Unknown No Unkn

France 2005 Many sex 

offenses 

10 or 20 

years 

Every 6 

months or 

annual; 

address 

change w/in 

15 days 

No No N

Germany Unknown Unknown Unknown No No N

Gibraltar 2011 

Most sex 

offenses 

2 years to 

life 

Within 3 days 

of changes 

Authorized No Ye

Guernsey 2014/2015 Most sex 

offenses 

At least 2 

years 

Annual and 

within 24 

hours of any 

changes 

Authorized No Ye
 

 

 

SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

Year Offenses Duration Updating 

Notice of 

Int’l Travel 

Website 

Ci

Ord

India 2015 

Rape and 

other serious 

sex offenses 

Unknown Unknown No 

One locality; 

central 

website 

under 

development 

N

Ireland 2001 

Most sex 

offenses 

5 years to 

life 

On any 

changes 

Yes No N

Isle of 

Man 

2001 

Most sex 

offenses 

5 years to 

life 

Name, 

address, 

employment 

changes 

within 2 days 

Authorized No Ye

Jamaica 2009/2012 Most serious 

sex offenses 

Indefinite, 

may petition 

for removal 

after 10 

years 

Annual; 

address or 

name change 

w/in 14 days 

Yes No N

Jersey 2011 

Most serious 

sex offenses 

Suggested 

minimum of 

5 years 

Name or 

address w/in 

24 hours 

Yes No Ye
 

 

 

 

SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

Year Offenses Duration Updating 

Notice of 

Int’l Travel 

Website 

Ci

Ord

Kenya 2006/2008 Unknown Life 

Any changes 

to residence, 

employment 

or school 

Yes No N

Maldives 2009 

Most serious 

sexual 

offenses 

involving 

children 

Unknown Unknown No 

Authorized 

but not 

operational 

N

Malta 2012 

Most serious 

sex offenses 

2 years to 

Life 

Any changes 

w/in 3 days Yes No N

New 

Zealand 

2016 

Child sex 

offenses 

8 years to 

Life 

Annual; any 

changes w/in 

3 days 

No, but 

required for 

any trip 

away for 

more than 

48 hours 

No N

Nigeria 

(Lagos 

State) 

2014 Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unkn

Pitcairn 

Islands 

2004 

Serious sex 

offenses 

2 years to 

life 

Within 3 days 

of any 

changes 

Yes No Ye
 

 

 

 

SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

Year Offenses Duration Updating 

Notice of 

Int’l Travel 

Website 

Ci

Ord

Portugal 2015 

Child sex 

offenses 

5 years to 

20 years 

Within 15 

days 

No No N

South 

Africa 2007/2009 Child sex offenses 

5 years to 

Life 

Unknown No No N

South 

Korea 

2009 

Child sex 

offenses 20 years 

Within 30 

days; police 

verify 

annually 

No Yes N

Spain 2015 

Child Sex 

Offenses 

(generally) 

Varies None No No N

Taiwan 2005/2012 

Rape & 

Indecent 

Acts 

5 or 7 years Within 7 days No No N

Trinidad & 

Tobago 

2000 Any sex 

offense 

5 years to 

Life 

Within 14 

days of name 

or address 

change 

No No N

United 

Kingdom 

1997 

Most sex 

offenses 

2 years to 

life Within 3 days Yes No Ye
 

SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

Year Offenses Duration Updating 

Notice of 

Int’l Travel 

Website 

Ci

Ord

United 

States 

1994 

Most sex 

offenses 

15, 25, or 

Life 

Every 3, 6, or 

12 months; 

within 3 days 

of name, 

address, 

work, school 

changes 

Yes Yes N
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 

SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

ENDNOTES 

A general source reference for some of the material found in this overview is: Thomas, Terry, THE REGISTRATION 

AND MONITORING OF SEX OFFENDERS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY (2011). The following is the source material for the 

assertions that certain countries are considering, or have considered, developing sex offender registration laws, 

or other notable policies regarding convicted sex offenders: 

•	 Austria: America has pioneered the harsh punishment of sex offenders. Does it work?, THE ECONOMIST (Aug. 6, 

2009), http://www.economist.com/node/14164614. 

•	 Barbados: Rennette M. Dimmott, Keep Tabs on Sex Offenders, NATIONNEWS (Nov. 5, 2015),
 

http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/letters_to_editor/74123/tabs-sexoffenders#sthash.WOU6RBFw.fwuf.
 

•	 Belgium: In 2014 legislation was proposed to establish a sex offender registry, although to date it has not 

passed. Proposition de Loi Visant á Créer un Registre National des Auteurs d’infractions sexuelles au sein du 

Casier Judiciaire Central [Proposed Legislation to Create a National Registry of Sex Offenders in the Central 

Criminal Record] (Aug. 26, 2014), available at 

http://www.lachambre.be/FLWB/PDF/54/0155/54K0155001.pdf. 

•	 Belize: In 2013 legislation was proposed in the National Assembly and passed the House of Representatives, 

but has not yet passed in the Senate. Criminal Code (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2013, § 18, available at 

http://d02044893.brinkster.net/belizecan/PDF/BILL101/Criminal_Code_(Amendment)_(No._2)_Bill,_2013.p 

df, House of Representatives Approved 20 Bills, http://www.nationalassembly.gov.bz/index.php/pressrelease-bna/282-house-of-representatives-approve-20-bills. 

•	 Cayman Islands: A sex offender registry bill was introduced in 2009, but failed to pass. Comment Now on 

Sex Offender Bill, CAYMAN ISLANDS GOVERNMENT, 

http://www.gov.ky/portal/page/portal/cighome/pressroom/archive/200903/commentnowonsexoffenderbi 

ll, Over the Past Few Years there have been Proposals for a Sex Offender Registry in the Cayman Islands; 

would the Creation of a Public Registry be a Breach of Human Rights-Right to Privacy?, Research Project— 

Summer 2013, CAYMAN ISLANDS HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, available at 

http://www.humanrightscommission.ky/portal/pls/portal/docs/1/11292790.PDF. 

•	 Fiji: Fiji Considers Sex Offenders Registry, (Feb. 24, 2013), available at http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013­

02-25/an-fiji-sex-register/4537340. 

•	 Finland: Finland Considers Sex Offender Registry, YLE UUTISET (Oct. 30, 2009), available at
 

http://yle.fi/uutiset/finland_considers_sex_offender_registry/5909091.
 

•	 Hong Kong: Hong Kong has considered implementing a sex offender registry but has yet to do so. Interim 

Proposals on a Sex Offender Register, THE LAW REFORM COMMISSION OF HONG KONG, REVIEW OF SEXUAL OFFENCES 

SUB-COMMITTEE (Consultation Paper), available at http://www.hkreform.gov.hk/en/publications/sexoff.htm, 

Wing Hong Chui et. al., Attitudes of the Hong Kong Chines Public Towards Sex Offending Policies: The Role of 

Stereotypical Views of Sex Offenders, 17 PUNISHMENT & Society 94 (2015). Hong Kong also has a Sexual 

Conviction Record Scheme Check Protocol, which enables employers of persons working with children to 

check whether their prospective employees have any prior sexual offense convictions. Notes to Employers, 

HONG KONG POLICE FORCE, http://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/11_useful_info/eta.html. 

23 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

•	 Israel: Israel has implemented multiple provisions to better monitor sex offenders. In 2006 a law was 

passed which requires that the “risk imposed by any sex offender who is discharged to the community [be] 

assessed. In the case of moderate to high levels of dangerousness, the state can apply for supervisory 

measures, with specifications and length that are adjusted according to level of dangerousness and the 

nature of the offenses.” Moshe Birger, et. al., Treatment of Sex Offenders in Israeli Prison Settings, J. AM. 

ACAD. PSYCHIATRY LAW 39:100-3 (2011), available at http://www.jaapl.org/content/39/1/100.full.pdf. In 

addition, background checks to prevent persons convicted of sex offenses from gaining employment at any 

place that provides services to ‘helpless persons’. See Prevention of Employment of Sex Offenders in 

Specific Institutions (Amendment No. 7) Law, 5711-2011; Israel: Prevention of Employment of Sex Offenders 

in Specific Institutions (June 20, 2011), 

http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402714_text. Calls to establish a sex offender 

registry have also been made. Ruth Eglash, Shattering the Quiet, JERUSALEM POST (Jan. 4, 2011), 

http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-Ed-Contributors/Shattering-the-quiet. 

•	 Malaysia: Ministry Seeks Sex Offender List in Child Act Amendments, MALAY MAIL ONLINE (Jan. 18, 2016), 

https://themalaymailonline.wordpress.com/2016/01/18/ministry-seeks-sex-offender-list-in-child-actamendments/. 

•	 Philippines: BI Bans Alien Sex Offenders in the Philippines, REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION 

(June 5, 2014), http://www.immigration.gov.ph/news/press-release/85-june-2014-press-releases/641-bibans-alien-sex-offenders-in-the-philippines. 

•	 Poland: Polish Justice Minister Planning Sex Offender Register, RADIO POLAND (Dec. 16, 2015), 

http://www.thenews.pl/1/9/Artykul/233143,Polish-justice-minister-planning-sex-offender-register. 

•	 Samoa: Sophie Budvietas, Samoa Opposition Urges Caution Over Sex Offender Registry, PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT 

(Oct. 8, 2013), http://www.pidp.org/pireport/2013/October/10-10-16.htm. 

•	 Slovakia: Kailey Lockwood, U.S. and Slovakia Agree to Share Sex Offender Information, NEW EUROPE (Sept. 23, 

2016), https://www.neweurope.eu/article/us-slovakia-agree-share-sex-offender-information. 

•	 Sri Lanka: Foreign Child Molestors Not Allowed in Sri Lanka, HIRUNEWS (March 21, 2013), 

http://www.hirunews.lk/55662. 

•	 St. Lucia: Sex Offenders Registry Gets T & T Support, ST. LUCIA TIMES NEWS (March 6, 2016), 

http://stluciatimes.com/2016/03/06/sex-offenders-registry-gets-support. 

•	 Switzerland: Registre des Délinquants Sexuels et des Auteurs des Violence sure des Enfants [Registry of Sex 

Offenders and Abusers of Children], MOTION NO. 13.127, available at 

https://www.parlament.ch/en/ratsbetrieb/suche-curia-vista/geschaeft?AffairId=20133127; Sex Offender 

Registry Sought after Tragic Killing, THE LOCAL (Sept. 15, 2013), available at 

http://www.thelocal.ch/20130915/sex-offenders-registry-sought-after-therapist-killing. Switzerland has a 

centralized criminal record database (VOSTRA) from which employers can require a prospective hire to 

secure a criminal record; however, the information in the database is held only for a set period of time 

before it is deleted. MOTION NO. 13.127, see also DISCLOSURE OF CRIMINAL RECORDS IN OVERSEAS JURISDICTIONS 

(COUNTRIES R-U) MARCH 2009, p. 72-80, available at 

https://www.cpni.gov.uk/documents/publications/2009/2009-criminal_records_disclosure_countriesru_march09.pdf. 

24 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

•	 United Arab Emirates: Kareem Shaheem, Sex Offenders Registry gets closer in UAE, THE NATIONAL (July 19, 

2010), available at http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/sex-offenders-registry-gets-closer-in-uae. 

•	 Zimbabwe: Tatenda Gumbo, Zimbabweans Welcome Calls for National Sex Offenders Registry,
 

http://www.voazimbabwe.com/content/zimbabweans-welcome-calls-for-national-sex-offendersregistry/3163737.html (Jan. 26, 2016); Lebo Nkatazo, Zimbabwe Sets Up Sex Offenders’ Register, NEW
 

ZIMBABWE (Jan. 11, 2011), available at http://www.newzimbabwe.com/news-4251­

Police+set+up+sex+offenders+register/news.aspx.
 

2 TOUGHER PENALTIES FOR CHILD PREDATORS ACT § 29(2015), 

HTTP://WWW.PARL.GC.CA/HOUSEPUBLICATIONS/PUBLICATION.ASPX?LANGUAGE=E&MODE=1&DOCID=8057660. In addition to 

this official website, a reporter also mapped Canada’s registered offenders in the Province of Ontario in 2014. 

Patrick Cain, Updated: Here’s the Sex Offender Map Ontario Didn’t Want You to See”, GLOBAL NEWS (June 9, 

2014), http://globalnews.ca/news/1313399/heres-the-sex-offender-map-ontario-didnt-want-you-to-see/. 

3 

https://www.solgps.alberta.ca/safe_communities/community_awareness/serious_violent_offenders/Pages/def 

ault.aspx. 

4	 http://www.gov.mb.ca/justice/notification/. 

5	 Hannah Rodger, Glasgow MSP Calls for ‘Paedophile Database’ in Scotland, EVENING TIMES (Dec. 3, 2015), 

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/14120724.Glasgow_MSP_calls_for__paedophile_database__in_Scotland. 

6	 Jacqueline Beard & Sally Lipscombe, Briefing Paper: Registration and Management of Sex Offenders, at p. 16, 

HOUSE OF COMMONS LIBRARY, No. SN05267 (May 23, 2016), 

http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN05267/SN05267.pdf, hereinafter 2016 Briefing Paper. 

7 See GUIDANCE ON PART TWO OF THE SEXUAL OFFENCES ACT 2003 at 42-49, U.K. HOME OFFICE (March 2015),
 

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/442151/2015-07­

03_FINAL_Guidance_Part_2_SOA_2003.pdf, hereinafter GUIDANCE ON PART TWO. 

8	 2016 Briefing Paper, supra n. 6 at 16. 

9	 Id. at 16. 

10	 Id. at 17. 

11	 See id. at 14, 33-41. The burden of proof is a ‘reasonable cause to believe’ that it is necessary that a SHPO be 

entered. Id. at 15. 

12	 Id.at 15. 

13	 Id. at 14. 

14	 Id. at 18. If an offender is subject to a total ban on foreign travel, they must surrender their passport. Id. 

15	 Fact Sheet on the UK’s Relationship with the Crown Dependencies, MINISTRY OF JUSTICE, 

http://www.uniset.ca/microstates/crown-dependencies.pdf. 

25 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

16 BACKGROUND BRIEFING ON THE CROWN DEPENDENCIES: JERSEY, GUERNSEY, AND THE ISLE OF MAN, MINISTRY OF JUSTICE,
 

https://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/about/moj/ourresponsibilities/Background_Briefing_on_the_Crown_Dependencies2.pdf.
 

17 2010 TO 2015 GOVERNMENT POLICY UK: OVERSEAS TERRITORIES (POLICY PAPER) (May 7, 2015), GOV.UK, 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2010-to-2015-government-policy-uk-overseas-territories/2010­

to-2015-government-policy-uk-overseas-territories. 

18	 Structure and Governance, INTERPOL, http://www.interpol.int/About-INTERPOL/Structure-and-governance. 

19	 http://www.interpol.int/content/download/26798/362408/version/4/file/AG-2014-RES02%20E%20GREEN%20NOTICES.pdf. 

20	 About Us, EUROPOL.EUROPA.EU, https://www.europol.europa.eu/content/page/about-us. 

21	 All background information about the Council of Europe is from PACE: THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE COUNCIL 

OF EUROPE, http://website-pace.net/documents/10643/2031071/DepliantAPCE2016A5-EN.pdf/79c01aea-dff5­

46bd-9e1c-4c579c9bb71f. 

22	 http://assembly.coe.int/nw/xml/XRef/Xref-XML2HTML-en.asp?fileid=17868&lang=en. 

23	 All background information about the EU is from John McCormick and Jonathan Olsen, THE EUROPEAN UNION: 

POLITICS AND POLICIES (5th ed. 2014). 

24	 Directive 2011/92/EU, Para. 43, http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32011L0093. 

25	 Generally speaking, any territory of a Schengen country which is located outside of Europe is not included in 

the Schengen Area (for example, the French territory of Martinique in the Caribbean). 

26	 The four non-participating countries are Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, and Romania. 

27	 Iceland, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, and Vatican City. 

28	 As of the fall of 2016, those countries are Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Poland, and Sweden. 

Temporary Reintroduction of Border Control, EUROPEAN COMMISSION, http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/homeaffairs/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/schengen/reintroduction-border-control/index_en.htm. 

29	 COMMON TRAVEL AREA (CTA) (April 12, 2013), https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/common-travelarea-cta/common-travel-area-cta. It is unclear what, if any, impact the “Brexit” vote of 2016 will have on the 

migration policies of the United Kingdom. Will Somerville, Commentary: When the Dust Settles: Migration 

Policy after Brexit, MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE (June 2016), http://www.migrationpolicy.org/news/when-dustsettles-migration-policy-after-brexit. 

30	 http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/sites/eng/pages/search.aspx?i=001-96457. 

31	 The acronym for the database is HEADS (Haft-Entlassenen-Auskunfts-Datei-Sexualstraftäter). 

32	 Child Sex Offender Register Approved, THE PORTUGAL NEWS (Aug. 20, 2015), 

http://theportugalnews.com/news/child-sex-offender-register-approved/35648. 

26 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

33 REAL DECRETO 1110/2015, DE 11 DE DICIEMBRE, POR EL QUE SE REGULA EL REGISTRO CENTRAL DE DELINCUENTES, NOTICIAS 

JURIDICAS, http://noticias.juridicas.com/base_datos/Penal/565504-rd-1110-2015-de-11-dic-registro-central-dedelincuentes-sexuales.html; Entra en Vigor el Registro Central de Delincuentes Sexuales, NOTICIAS JURIDICAS, (Jan. 

3, 2016), http://noticias.juridicas.com/actualidad/noticias/10912-entra-en-vigor-el-registro-central-dedelincuentes-sexuales/. 

34	 Sinead Kelly, Cyprus Gets Tough on Sex Offenders as House Passes New Law, CYPRUS MAIL (June 20, 2014), 

http://cyprus-mail.com/2014/06/20/cyprus-gets-tough-on-sex-offenders-as-house-passes-new-law/. 

35	 As of 2012, South Korea had over 7,600 registered sex offenders, 2,650 of whom had their information posted 

on the public registry website. Kyungseok Cheo & Andrew Harris, Sex Offender Registration in Korea, SEX 

OFFENDER LAW REPORT (April/May 2013) at p. 35. The registry contains certain information including: The 

offenders’ name, both in Korean and Chinese characters (non-Korean offenders must submit their name in 

Korean, the offenders’ native language, and English); resident registration number; address and real residence; 

occupation, job position, and work address; physical description and age; photograph; car registration number; 

court and date of conviction; case number; name of the crime of conviction; sentence imposed; and summary 

of case facts. 

36	 Zaheena Rasheed, Man sentenced to 14 years in jail for molesting a 16 year old boy, MINIVAN NEWS (June 10, 

2014), https://minivannewsarchive.com/crime-2/man-sentenced-to-14-years-in-jail-for-molesting-a-16-yearold-boy-86745. 

(“State Minister for Health [doctor] Aishath Ramila told local media in April that the ministry has
 

failed to compile a legally mandated Sex Offenders Registry due to lack of access to criminal records.
 

‘Even if we look at other countries, an Offenders Registry is always with the Police of the country. This
 

is because all the criminal records of the offenders are within the police database. Gender ministry 

will not have their criminal records,’ Ramila said. “Will the register be maintained by us or the police?
 

I think this is the first decision that we need to make”, she added. She also said the Health Ministry 

does not have the resources to compile and maintain the registry.”)
 

Id. 

37	 Bharti Jain, Govt to ‘Name and Shame’ Those Booked for Sex Crimes, TIMES OF INDIA (Aug. 15, 2015), 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Govt-to-name-and-shame-those-booked-for-sexcrimes/articleshow/48490513.cms. 

38	 Dhananjay Mahapatra, Govt to Publish National Sex Offenders List, TIMES OF INDIA (Dec. 9, 2015), 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Govt-to-publish-national-sex-offenderslist/articleshow/50099945.cms. 

39	 Jerome Reynolds, Sex Offenders’ Registry Ready to Become Operational, THE JAMAICA GLEANER (May 14, 2014), 

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/power/52866. 

40	 Registro de pedófilos: 2.771 personas están inhabilitadas para trabajar con menores, available at 

http://www.emol.com/noticias/nacional/2015/03/02/706072/registro-de-pedofilos-2771-personas-estaninhabilitadas-de-trabajar-con-menores.html (March 2, 2015). 

41	 http://www.registrocivil.cl/PortalOI/home.html (click on “Consultas Registros en Linea” on left toolbar, then 

“Inhabilidades Para Trabajar Con Menores de Edad”). 

27 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

42	 See, e.g., LAW XV – NO. 11 (Chubut Province), available at http://www.legischubut2.gov.ar/digesto/lxl/XV11.html, see Fernando Brosutti, El Senado Aprobó el Registro Provincial de Violadores y Abusadores Sexuales 

(Oct. 2, 2014)(Santa Fe Province), available at http://www.elprotagonistaweb.com.ar/noticias/val/9731/elsenado-aprob%C3%B3-el-registro-provincial-de-violadores-y-abusadores-sexuales.html (last accessed May 26, 

2015); La Provincia Tendrá un Registro de Condenandos por Delitos Contra la Integridad Sexual (Nov. 21, 

2013)(Buenos Aries), available at http://www.noticiasmercedinas.com/131121espana.htm (last accessed May 

26, 2015); Certificado de no Incripción al Registro Provincial de Personas Condenadas por Delitos Contra la 

Integridad Sexual (Ley 9680), available at http://portaldetramites.cba.gov.ar/v/1507 (Cordoba); Modificará Ley 

de Registro de Condenados por Delitos Sexuales, available at http://www.legislatura.lapampa.gov.ar/noticiasde-prensa/1805-modificaran-ley-de-registro-de-condenados-por-delitos-sexuales.html (La Pampa); Registro 

Nacional de Datos Geneticos Vinculados a Delitos Sexuales, available at http://www.cecneuquen.com/node/124 (Neuquen); Tasas y Aranceles-Depósitos Judiciales-Registro Condenados por Delitos 

Sexuales, available at http://www.jusmisiones.gov.ar/index.php/dependencias/biblioteca/176-tasas-yaranceles-depositos-judiciales-registro-condenados-por-delitos-sexuales (Misiones). 

43	 Press Release, Child Sex Offender Register Launches Today, NEW ZEALAND POLICE, (Oct. 14, 2016), 

http://www.police.govt.nz/news/commissioners-blog/child-sex-offender-register-launches-today; Child Sex 

Offender Register Factsheet, NEW ZEALAND POLICE, 

http://www.police.govt.nz/sites/default/files/documents/child-sex-offender-register-factsheet15sept2016.pdf. 

44	 Detailed information about South Africa’s registration system can be found at P. Stevens, Protecting the 

Vulnerable? Assessing the Constitutionality of the National Register for Sex Offenders in Respect of Juvenile Sex 

Offenders, 17 POTCHEFSTROOM ELEC. L. J. 2778 (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/pelj.v17i6.15. 

45	 Sexual Violence: Lagos Govt Opens Sex Offenders Register, VANGUARD NEWS (Dec. 2, 2014), 

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/12/fashola-opens-register-sex-offenders-lagos/. A video of the signing 

ceremony and associated statements from the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, can be found 

here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqZ1SmCwfw4. There is also a sex offenders register in Ekiti State, 

in central-western Nigeria, but details about that registry cannot be confirmed from available documents. Ekiti 

Opens Sexual Offenders’ Register, DAILY POST (July 1, 2013), http://dailypost.ng/2013/07/01/ekiti-opens-sexualoffenders-register/. 

46 

ftp://ftp.justiciachaco.gov.ar/biblioteca/DELITOS%20CONTRA%20LA%20INTEGRIDAD%20SEXUAL/LEGISLACION 

/LEY%2026879%20CREA%20EL%20REGISTRO%20NACIONAL%20DE%20DATOS%20GENETICOS%20B.O.%20NACI 

ONAL%2032686%2024-07-2013.pdf. The Argentinian legislation referenced was reviewed in its original 

Spanish; no official translation from either Argentina or the United States was available. 

47	 https://web.archive.org/web/20150908150726/http://www.crimtrac.gov.au/documents/CrimTracIGAamendedin2009.pdf. 

48	 http://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/images/LEGISLATION/AMENDING/2014/2014­

0007/SexualOffencesAmendmentAct2014.pdf. The website for the Bahamas’ Office of the Attorney General 

indicates that this law is “Not in Force”. 

49	 http://www.bermudalaws.bm/Laws/Consolidated%20Laws/Criminal%20Code%20Act%201907.pdf. 

50	 http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/PDF/S-8.7.pdf. 

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SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

51	 http://www.leychile.cl/Navegar/scripts/obtienearchivo?id=recursoslegales/10221.3/37261/7/HL20594.pdf. 

52	 http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/content/download/1958/13719/version/3/file/Code_34.pdf. The database 

acronym is FIJAIS (Fichier Judiciaire National Automatisé des Auteurs d’Infractions Sexuelles) [National 

Automated Criminal File of Sexual or Violent Offenses]. 

53	 http://Heise.de/-901829 (Jan. 11, 2010). See also Sarma Rumbachs, TO STUDY THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PUBLIC SEX 

OFFENDER REGISTERS AND THE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY AND POLICING, INCORPORATING BEST PRACTICE FOR THE MANAGEMENT 

OF SEX OFFENDERS IN THE COMMUNITY: UNITED KINGDOM, GERMANY, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (2014), available at 

https://www.churchilltrust.com.au/media/fellows/Public_sex_offender_registers_and_their_impact_on_comm 

unity_and_policing_Rumbachs_S_2013.pdf. 

54	 http://www.gibraltarlaws.gov.gi/articles/2011-23o.pdf. 

55	 The Criminal Justice (Sex Offenders and Miscellaneous Provisions) (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2013, 

http://www.guernseylegalresources.gg/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=91636&p=0. 

56	 http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2001/en/act/pub/0018/print.html. 

57	 Criminal Justice Act (2001), http://legislation.gov.im/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/2001/2001­

0004/CriminalJusticeAct2001_5.pdf; Sex Offenders Act (2006), 

http://www.legislation.gov.im/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/2006/2006­

0020/SexOffendersAct2006_1.pdf; Criminal Justice, Police and Courts Act (2007), 

http://legislation.gov.im/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/2007/2007­

0003/CriminalJusticePoliceandCourtsAct2007_2.pdf. 

58	 http://www.japarliament.gov.jm/attachments/341_The%20Sexual%20Offences%20Act,%202009.pdf. 

59	 https://www.jerseylaw.je/laws/revised/Pages/23.815.aspx. 

60	 http://www.kenyalaw.org/klr/fileadmin/pdfdownloads/Acts/SexualOffencesAct_No3of2006.pdf. 

61	 http://agoffice.gov.mv/pdf/sublawe/CSAO.pdf. 

62	 http://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/docs/ELECTRONIC/90488/104337/20F365482969/MLT90488.pdf. 

63	 http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2016/0042/latest/DLM6463913.html. 

64 

http://www.government.pn/Laws/Sexual%20Offences%20(Notification%20and%20Prevention)%20Ordinance. 

pdf. 

65 

http://app.parlamento.pt/webutils/docs/doc.pdf?path=6148523063446f764c3246795a5868774d546f334e7a6 

7774c336470626d526c59334a6c6447397a4c31684a5353396b5a574d7a4f54557457456c4a4c6d527659773d3d 

&fich=dec395-XII.doc&Inline=true. 

66	 http://www.issafrica.org/crimehub/uploads/sexual_offences_act32_2007_eng.pdf. 

67	 http://www.moleg.go.kr/FileDownload.mo?flSeq=39770. 

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SMART Summary: Global Overview of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Systems (2016) 

68 http://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2015-14264. 

69 http://www.ccunix.ccu.edu.tw/~alumnicrm/tatdvso/ajodvso/1-1/9.pdf. 

70 http://rgd.legalaffairs.gov.tt/Laws2/Alphabetical_List/lawspdfs/11.28.pdf. 

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