Laws against sex crimes in Tennessee are extremely strict and any violations could potentially lead to mandatory placement on the sex offender registry. Individuals can be placed on the sex offender registry for a variety of crimes, including both misdemeanors and felonies. If you are placed on the sex offender registry, it could seriously impact your personal and professional life, affecting where you work and live. To adequately protect your rights, make sure you understand the costs of being placed on the sex offender registry.

Individuals placed on the Tennessee sex offender registry are subject to the following restrictions:

1. Limited Housing Options

All registered sex offenders are prohibited from coming within 1,000 feet of a school, daycare facility, public park, playground, or recreational field accessible to children. This can seriously impede your ability to find suitable housing, and it could uproot you if you currently reside near any of the forbidden facilities.

2. No Working With Children

While sex offenders are not permitted to live near areas where children congregate, they are also not permitted to work within 1,000 feet of those zones either. Additionally, they may not work in any environment that works with children, including religious activities. This can be a devastating career block for anyone who once worked with children and is now forced to register as a sex offender in Tennessee. Certain careers, such as teaching, dentistry, nursing, psychiatry, physical therapy, and several others will now be off-limits. For some people, this means starting over from scratch.

3. Legal Permission for Travel

If you are a registered sex offender, it is required by law to report all changes in employment and any plans to travel. In the event that you wish to plan a trip out of state, you must notify law enforcement and receive permission before you leave. Likewise, if your residence, employer, or other contact information changes for any reason, it is your responsibility to contact law enforcement and inform them of the alteration.

4. Your Status as a Registered Sex Offender is Public

In Tennessee, registering as a sex offender is nearly always permanent. Not only does this list have the potential to haunt you for the rest of your days, it can also give other people a reason to distrust you. The sex offender registry is public, and if a neighbor, coworker, friend, or potential date decides to look, they can find your information on the registry. This list can include personal information, such as your date of birth, photo, physical description, home address, employment address, and vehicle information. Additionally, the registry will also describe the type of sex crime you were convicted of. As you can imagine, such information could seriously damage job prospects, housing opportunities, and personal relationships.

If you are facing sex crime charges, it is important that you act fast to defend your case and protect your future. Misdemeanor and felony sex crimes can be lead to serious consequences, and either can land your name on the sex offender registry in your state. If you violate the rules applying to all offenders listed on the registry, you could face even more serious penalties. Violating the sex offender registry laws is a separate felony offense and could lead to additional incarceration, fines, and additional marks on your criminal record.

To defend your case today, contact Patton | Pittman Attorneys and ask for a free consultation.