Bill > H3140

This bill amends South Carolina law to create a process for removing juvenile sex offenders from the sex offender registry and to establish guidelines for placing juveniles on the registry. Specifically, when a registered juvenile sex offender turns 21 and is released from custody, they can petition the family court to be removed from the registry. The court will consider factors such as the likelihood of reoffending, the offender's age at the time of the offense, completed treatment programs, and the use of force. If the court determines the person does not pose a serious ongoing threat to the public, their registry information will be deleted. The bill also gives family courts discretion in deciding whether to place juveniles 13 and older on the sex offender registry for certain offenses, based on a comprehensive evaluation that includes a psycho-sexual risk assessment, the juvenile's age, mitigating and aggravating factors, and prior adjudications. The court can hold the registry placement in abeyance pending completion of a sex offender treatment program. The bill aims to provide a more nuanced approach to juvenile sex offender registration by allowing individualized assessment of risk and potential rehabilitation.

Justice

https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=3140&session=126&summary=B