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Sex Offender Compliance

Sexual Offender Compliance Unit – (SOCU)

The SOCU was established in 2010. The SOCU was initially funded by the United States Department of Justice. The SOCU was formed in order to comply with the federal sex offender registration standards, set forth in the Wetterling Act, Walsh Act, and Meghan’s Law. The SOCU has multiple functions and responsibilities. The primary goal of the SOCU is to maintain and ensure compliance database on all registered sex offenders. The SOCU accomplishes this primarily by completing sex offender registrations and conducting unannounced compliance checks on registered offenders. The SOCU also investigates and enforces any violations of New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated, 651-B (Registration of Criminal Offenders).

Two Officers and one Supervisor are assigned to the Unit. The Registration Officer is primarily assigned to register sex offenders, maintain sex offender files, act as a liaison for the New Hampshire State Sex Offender Registry, and complete arrest warrants for non-compliant offenders.

The Compliance Officer is primarily assigned to conduct sex offender compliance checks, do follow-up investigations, and complete arrest warrants for non-compliant offenders. Additionally, both officers maintain partnerships and conduct joint investigations with the Manchester Police with the DV and Sex Assault Unit, as well the New Hampshire State Police Sex Offender Registry, and the United State Marshals Service, New Hampshire Probation and Parole, and United States (Federal) Probation and Parole.

Sex Offenders - Defined

A sex offender is a person who is convicted of any sexual offense or offense against a child and, as a result, is required to register
A sexual offense is defined as an offense involving a victim who was 18 years of age or older at the time of the offense
An offense against a child involves a victim who was under the age of 18 when the offense occurred

An offender will be required to register for:

Capital Murder
First Degree Murder
AFSA
FSA
Sexual Assault
Violation of Privacy (recording devices)
Indecent Exposure (if the 2nd or subsequent offense occurs within 5 years)
Kidnapping
Criminal Restraint
False Imprisonment
Incest Prostitution
Intentional contribution to the delinquency of a minor
Possession/Distribution of Child Pornography (when the victim of the offense is a minor)

What Info Are Offenders Required to Report?

Name and aliases
Address, temporary addresses, mailing address
Employment, volunteer work, schooling
Professional licenses, certifications
Vehicle information (year, make, model, color, license plate number)
DOB
Social Security Number
Physical description to include scars, marks or tattoos
Telephone and cell phone numbers
Passport information
Names and address of landlord if offender resides in rental property
Photograph
DNA sample if not already provided
Fingerprints if not already provided
Photocopy of driver’s license
Any online identifiers (emails, screen names, etc.)

Tier System

The Department of Safety (NHSP) will place offenders in the appropriate tier based on the offense of which they were convicted.

Tier I - Most misdemeanor Sexual Assault convictions and Indecent Exposure convictions. (10 Years) – Required to register twice a year (not including changes).
Tier II - Felonious Sexual Assaults, most Child Pornography Offenses, Intentional Contribution to the Delinquency of a Minor. Required to register semi-annually. (LIFETIME)
Tier III - All Murders, AFSA, Kidnapping, any offender convicted of more than 2 sexual offenses or offenses against a child, any offender civilly committed as a sexually violent predator, or otherwise required to register for an equivalent offense in another state. Required to register quarterly (LIFETIME)

More than 500 sex offenders reside in Manchester. This number fluctuates daily as offenders are released from correctional institutions, and other move out of state, etc.

New Hampshire has a population of approximately 2,500 registered sex offenders. Nearly 16% of all registered sex offenders living and/or working in the State of NH live in Manchester. In comparison to the following New England states: