Massachusetts officials had planned to post a searchable database, and photos of more than 300 Level 3 sex offenders on the Internet on May 15, 2003. On May 29, 2003, Superior Court Judge Thomas Billings issued an injunction against such access.

With the implementation of the new database, users would have been able to access photos, names, home and work addresses of high-risk sexual offenders who live or work in their community, via the website of the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board (SORB). Currently, interested adults must visit their local police stations, or contact the SORB to obtain information on sex offenders in their communities. The proposed Internet posting was to take place as a provision of the state's version of Megan's Law.

In his decision, the judge cited that the Internet was not on the state law's list of specific methods by which offender information should be disseminated. "The act’s omission of any mention of Internet dissemination, and it’s careful delineations of the permitted methods of public inquiry, bespeak a Legislative intention to stop short of full disclosure to anyone in the world with an Internet connection," the judge said in the decision. "The proposed Web site would go beyond what the Legislature has authorized."

Level 3 sex offenders are those considered to be the most dangerous, and pose the highest risk of repeating their offenses.

The state has not yet announced whether it will appeal the decision, or seek to rewrite the law to expressly include dissemination of this information via the Internet.

See also:

• Judge Rules NJ Cannot Post Sex Offender Database on the Web
• FBI Crimes Against Children Program

The post Online Access to Massachussetts Sex Offender Databases Delayed by Court Ruling appeared first on Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) in California, MCLE Los Angeles, CLE Orange County, Irvine & San Francisco.

Originally, this item was to be about VitalSearch's addition of the searchable databases to its site.

VitalSearch's searchable database of California births covers 1905-1995.

The Birth Index is searchable by any of nine criteria:

• Last Name
• First name
• Middle name
• Birth Year
• Birth Month
• Birth Day
• Mother's Last Name
• Sex
• County of Birth

Its California Death Index is spread over five databases:

• 1905-1929 Death Index Summary
• 1930-1939 Death Index Summary
• 1940-2000 Death Index Summary
• 1989-2000 Detailed Death Index (available to paid subscribers only)
• 1905-1929 Fetal Death Index (available to paid subscribers only)

The Death Index is searchable by any of 17 criteria:

• Last Name
• First name
• Middle name
• Birth Year
• Birth Month
• Birth Day
• Mother's Last Name
• Father's Last Name
• Birth Place
• County of Death
• Death Year
• Death Month
• Death Day
• Social Security Number
• Age

"Wildcard" searching is also available in both databases. the percent symbol (%) can be used to substitute for one (or more) letters in a name. For example, "Sam%" would return individuals named "Sam," "Sammy," "Sammie," "Samuel," etc.

VitalSearch provides free access to most searches, but users are required to register for a "Guest Pass" (username & password) to access the information.

Free users are subjected to innumerable, distracting pop-up ads and Flash ads that take up screen space and time to load. Click "Begin Search/Reset" at the bottom of the page to begin the search. VitalSearch also sells ad-free "Premium" search access for $57.95 per year or $24.95 for 90 days.

See Also:

• How Public are Public Records

The post VitalSearch Searchable Database of California Birth & Death Records Available Free Online appeared first on Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) in California, MCLE Los Angeles, CLE Orange County, Irvine & San Francisco.

Documents originate from a variety of sources, including:

• Federal fugitive files
• State and county criminal record repositories
• ChoicePoint proprietary record information
• Prison parole and release files
• Parole records
• Records from various state agencies

Information returned in the ChoicePoint reports, include:

• Name
• Social Security number
• Address at time of event
• Locality of event
• Offense
• Charge type
• Disposition

For more information on Criminal Record research see:

• Rapsheets.com Offers Searchable Database of State & County Criminal Records
• How Public Are Public Records?

The post Online Database ChoicePoint Online Expands its National Criminal Records Database appeared first on Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) in California, MCLE Los Angeles, CLE Orange County, Irvine & San Francisco.

Rapsheets.com offers registered users access to criminal records on over 20 million individuals in 30 states (and selected counties/buroughs in Florida, New York, Tennessee and Texas). In just two years, the database has grown from 4 states to 30. When asked why my state (California) was missing, I was informed that California was “another planet” in the criminal record world! Rapsheets.com was developed by Memphis, Tennessee's legal newspaper, The Daily News Publishing Co. Inc.

Rapsheets.com gathers its data from state, county and local government agencies' public records. In some cases, they are able to provide direct connection to state computers, resulting in “real-time” searches. The site is updated monthly. Results typically display the defendant's name, DOB, race, sex, offense date, offense description, disposition, disposition date, case #, county of disposition, and the sentence.

Coverage varies state to state. Rapsheets.com clearly lists its coverage for each state at http://www.rapsheets.com/aboutdata.asp.

For example, Tennessee criminal records can be searched statewide—a simultaneous search of 900,000 records from all 95 counties (back to 1990). On the other hand, the criminal records of 2 million North Carolina persons from all county district and superior courts cannot be searched statewide—one must select a county, and search county by county. With a subscription fee of $14.95 monthly and searching priced at $3.00 per search, it's a great deal for the statewide searches, but could get out of hand with the “county by county” searches.

Rapsheets.com also provides some non-criminal searching (click on “other searches”) to verify a name, a social security number or a residential address. These searches cost from $1.00-$2.00.

The post Rapsheets.com Offers Searchable Database of State & County Criminal Records appeared first on Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) in California, MCLE Los Angeles, CLE Orange County, Irvine & San Francisco.