2.8.12.1 Federal Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act

The Federal Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act, enacted on October 28, 2000, went into effect October 28, 2002. The law requires institutions of higher education to issue a statement advising the campus community where law enforcement agency information provided by a state concerning registered sex offenders may be obtained. It also requires sex offenders already required to register in a state to provide notice, as required under state law, of each institution of higher education in that State at which the person is employed, carries on a vocation, or is a student.

The following resources give direct information relative to advising the Ithaca College community where law enforcement agency information provided by New York State concerning registered sex offenders may be obtained.

2.8.12.2 New York State Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA)

The New York State Sex Offender Registration Act requires the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) to maintain a Sex Offender Registry. The Registry contains information on sex offenders classified according to their risk of re-offending: low-risk (Level 1), moderate-risk (Level 2) and high-risk (Level 3). The Act requires that the Division also maintain a public Subdirectory (above) which only includes Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders. Therefore, accessing this site will not provide you with information about Level 1 offenders. You may, however, learn if an individual is a convicted sex offender listed in the Registry by calling the Sex Offender Registry 800# Information Line.

Sex offenders registered in New York are required to notify the Registry of any institution of higher education at which he or she is, or expects to be, whether for compensation or not, enrolled, attending or employed, and whether such sex offender resides or expects to reside in a facility operated by the institution. Changes in status at the institution of higher education must also be reported to the Registry no later than ten days after such change. 

A synopsis of selected portions of state law pertaining to the Sexual Offender Registry may be found below. 

Correction Law §168-b requires that Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) include this information regarding an institution of higher education on its Registry. 

Correction Law §168-c requires: 

  1. that the Department of Correctional Services, or hospital or local correctional facility in which a sex offender is confined, require that such sex offender complete a form notifying DCJS of his or her proposed address upon release and any institution of higher education at which the offender expects to be enrolled, attending or employed, and whether he or she expects to reside in a facility owned by the institution; and, 
  2. that a probation officer require that a supervised sex offender complete a form notifying DCJS of any change of address or any change of status in enrollment, attendance, employment or residence at any institution of higher education while under supervision. 

Correction Law §168-d requires the court to obtain the name and address of any institution of higher education at which the offender expects to be employed, enrolled or attending and whether the offender expects to reside in a facility owned or operated by that institution. 

Correction Law §168-e requires a sex offender released from a correctional facility to provide the name and address of any institution of higher education the offender expects to be employed by, enrolled at or attending and whether the offender expects to reside in a facility owned or operated by that institution.

Correction Law §168-j(4) and (5) set forth the notification procedures whenever a sex offender has indicated to DCJS that he or she will be enrolled in, attending or employed at an institution of higher education. DCJS will notify each law enforcement agency having jurisdiction.

Last Updated: September 20, 2018