We reviewed sex offender registries nationwide and found a system rife with errors and outdated information.
Law enforcement says they don't know the whereabouts of tens of thousands of offenders.
Often they're hiding in plain sight.
npr.org/2020/08/25/808…
NPR combed through sex offender registries from all 50 states and D.C.
We found wrong addresses, names of offenders who'd died, and more than 25,000 convicted U.S. sex offenders and predators whose whereabouts are unknown to law enforcement. n.pr/3lhusEH
Authorities across the U.S. say finding offenders can be hard when they don't register. But we found many easily — using public records.
Like Curtis Lang, Sr., who is required to register every 3 months for life.
He hasn't in 5 years. n.pr/3lhusEH
Mistakes in state registries can have dire consequences.
Some unregistered offenders move undetected from state to state and commit additional sex crimes, NPR found. n.pr/3lhusEH
This system, designed to protect victims, often fails them.
Kristen Trogler couldn't find the man who sexually abused her as a child in Missouri's registry.
That's because he failed to register twice after his release from prison. He was later convicted of 2 other sex crimes.
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