2C:7-21 Comprehensive Study of “Megan’s Law
2. a. The Violence Institute of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey shall undertake a comprehensive study of the implementation and application of Megan’s Law. Specifically, the institute shall examine the implementation and application of P.L.1994, c.133 (C.2C:7-1 et al.), which requires registration by sex offenders and P.L.1994, c.128 (C.2C:7-6 et seq.), which requires community notification for certain sex offenders.
b. The study shall evaluate the current procedures utilized by the county prosecutors and the courts in determining a sex offender’s tier designation and implementing community notification. In evaluating these procedures, the study shall examine the disposition of all sex offenders who have registered and have been assigned a tier rating since the enactment of Megan’s Law. The study shall make recommendations regarding the standardization of procedures for evaluating the risk of re-offense, assigning tier designations, implementing community notification, and ensuring uniform application of the Attorney General’s guidelines by law enforcement in providing community notification. In addition, the study shall examine the use of the Internet registry in providing information to the public about sex offenders. Specifically, the study shall review the implementation of P.L.2001, c.167 (C.2C:7-12 et seq.) and determine whether the Internet registry has accomplished its mission to inform the public of dangerous sex offenders, or if geographic inconsistencies have mitigated its effectiveness. Finally, the study shall examine whether a central agency should be charged with the administration of Megan’s Law and the determination as to which offenders appear on the Internet registry.
L.2007, c.227, s.2.
