Sex Offender File Goes Public

By GEOFF BOUCHER

June 27, 1997 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Three years after young Megan Kanka’s murder led to a national groundswell for more information on sex criminals living at large, a CD-ROM indexing California’s worst offenders arrives in Orange County.

The database contained on single, shiny disc will be available Tuesday at nine Orange County sites. The packaging bears the name and face of the 7-year-old New Jersey girl whose July 1994 rape and murder led to the controversial law that created it.

Kanka was killed by a paroled child molester living quietly in her community, and lawmakers hope this new high-tech tool will arm parents to prevent the tragedy from repeating itself. Below is a guide to the CD-ROM, which lists 63,920 offenders categorized as high-risk and serious. It will be available for use at police stations in Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Fullerton, La Habra, Orange, Newport Beach and Santa Ana, as well as Orange County sheriff’s stations in Aliso Viejo and Santa Ana.

Who can use the CD-ROM? Any citizen 18 or older with valid identification can use the database unless he or she is a convicted sex offender. The law that created the CD-ROM also says viewers must have an “articulable” reason to see the index, but that vague caveat has most local police shrugging when asked for a clear definition.

All say a concern about safety would qualify.

In Anaheim, police are limiting the CD-ROM to residents of the city, but other departments said no one meeting the state’s standards would be turned away.

Visitors will be asked to fill out an application, and should expect to answer questions about their background, including their criminal history. There is no charge to view the CD-ROM.

Police said they expect parents and new residents to be the primary users, but there have already been some surprises.

“One real estate agent already called,” Anaheim Police Sgt. Joe Vargas said. “It’s hard to say who we’re going to get in here.”

What can I find out?: You can search for a particular sex offender by name, or you can look for registered sex criminals by ZIP Code. Other attributes can be used to narrow the search, including race, height and weight.

For each offender, the database lists a physical description (hair and eye color, tattoos, etc.), date of birth and criminal history. More than half the entries are accompanied by a photo. The CD-ROM includes 1,500 high-risk offenders, a category reserved for those who have been convicted of at least three felonies, including two violent offenses. The database contains photos of 80% of the state’s high-risk offenders.

What can’t I find out?: You cannot access the address of any offender beyond ZIP Code and the county in which he or she lives. Conviction records do not include the details of the crimes, such as location or victim’s name or age. Also, only sex crimes are included among the convictions, so offenses such as car theft, assault or bank robbery would not show up.

How reliable is the information? Opinion varies. Officials in recent months had said the information on the whereabouts of registered sex offenders may be incorrect in as many as 20% of the entries. But now that error estimate has swelled to as much as 40%.

Local police who have been using the database to cross-check the location of the local offender population say some of the sex criminals have fled to other counties or states in recent weeks following the aggressive use of Megan’s Law in Orange County, which leads the state in public notifications.

The CD-ROM lists three offenders in La Habra, for instance, but investigators found all were “dead, in custody or just gone,” according to Police Chief Steven H. Staveley.

In at least three other Orange County cities, investigators checking on registered high-risk sex offenders in recent days found empty homes and disconnected phones--possibly because of the expanding glare of the public spotlight.

“We thought we had one left in the city, but we contacted his workplace and they said he moved out of state,” said Placentia police spokeswoman Corrine Loomis. “I can’t say I’m disappointed.”

Organizers say the system will improve in accuracy as the information is continually checked by police. The CD-ROM will be updated four times a year to keep listings as current as possible.

Can I print out information? No. Law forbids visitors from printing or photographing the screen, although citizens are allowed to make handwritten notes.

How hard is it to use? Information is accessed with the “point and click” of a computer mouse, which is relatively simple even for beginners. Also, at each site an investigator or staff member will assist visitors.

Staveley, who good-naturedly mocked his own computer skills, said the technology shouldn’t frighten off beginners.

“It made me look computer literate,” he said. “It’s easy enough to use.”

When can I use it? The Costa Mesa police will have their computer available only Tuesday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sheriff’s Department computers will be available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The other departments will stick to regular business hours but suggest calling ahead for confirmation or a reservation.

At most of the Orange County sites, appointments are needed to view the CD-ROM. While users can drop by the Costa Mesa or Orange police station without calling first, the La Habra Police Department will require visitors to make an appointment to scan the database.

The Sheriff’s Department will not require a reservation but suggests one to save time and prevent long waits.

Each department is limiting visitors to either 15 or 30 minutes of use per visit. Check with the agency you plan to visit for details.

Do I have other options? If you cannot or do not want to use the CD-ROM technology, the California Department of Justice operates the 2-year-old Sex Offender Identification Line. For $10, callers can inquire about two individuals. The number is (900) 463-0400.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Digital Lineup

Beginning Tuesday, Orange County residents will be able to use a computer disk--called a CD-ROM--to find out about convicted sex offenders registered anywhere in California. Simple instructions guide users through the process; some police staffers may provide assistance.

Characteristics by which information can be searched:

* Last name

* First name

* Middle name

* County

* ZIP Code

Characteristics that can be used to narrow the search:

* Sex

* Ethnicity

* Hair color

* Eye color

* Date of birth

* Any range of height and/or weight

Identifying Individuals

Once an individual’s file is found, other information will be available. An example:

INFO: Photograph (of most offenders) and general description. Also, full name, ethnicity, hair and eye color, date of birth, height and weight. Will also include the ZIP Code and county in which the person resides.

CHARGES: Details regarding conviction for rape, child molestation or other sex offenses

AKA: Alias or aliases used

S/M/T: Scars, marks and tattoos that can help verify identification

Note: Information depicted here is fictitious

Getting Started

In order to take advantage of the new system:

* Make an appointment to view the information

* Bring identification

* Information off-limits to convicted sex offenders

Where to Look

The CD-ROM will be accessible at these agencies:

Anaheim Police Department