Alabama Megan’s Law and Victim’s Rights
Amendment 557
(a) Crime victims, as defined by law or their lawful representatives, including the next of kin of homicide victims, are entitled to the right to be informed, to be present, and to be heard when authorized, at all crucial stages of criminal proceedings, to the extent that these rights do not interfere with the constitutional rights of the person accused of committing the crime.
(b) Nothing in this amendment or in any enabling statute adopted pursuant to this amendment shall be construed as creating a cause of action against the state or any of its agencies, officials, employees, or political subdivisions. The legislature may from time to time enact enabling legislation to carry out and implement this amendment.
| Alabama Contact Person: | Phillip Burdeshaw or Peter Petrillo: 334-260-1135 or 260-1170. |
| Offenders Required to Register: | A person convicted, incarcerated, and released for a following offense: rape in the first or second degree; sodomy in the first or second degree; sexual torture; sexual abuse; or incest when offender is 20 years old or older and the victim is 18 years old or younger. |
| Information Collected: | Name, address, sex, age, physical description, current photograph, and a statement of the sex crime or crimes for which the offender has completed sentence, date of release and DNA sample. |
| Administrating Agency: | State Department of Public Safety, local law enforcement. |
| Timeframe for Registration: | Within 30 days of release; 30 days of changing address. |
| Applies to Out of State Offenders: | Yes |
| Duration of Requirement: | Life |
| Verification of Address: | Yes |
| Penalties for Non-Compliance: | Felony – 1 to 10 years imprisonment and up to $1,000 fine. |
| Access to Information: | Notification by mail and by posting copy of mailed notice in a prominent place at city hall and police station closest to declared residence of released offender. Extent of notification dependent upon population density in area of offenders residence: notification to all persons with residences within 1,500 feet of offender in all other cities with a resident population of 5,000 or more; notification to all persons with residences within 2,000 feet of offender in all other municipalities with a resident population of less than 5,000. |
| Confidentiality Provision: | No |
