Practically everyone knows about the sex offender registry, a listing of the addresses and offenses of those convicted of sex crimes in Oklahoma and those convicted in other states who have since moved to Oklahoma. Fewer people realize that the state requires registration for other types of criminal offenders as well. For example, those convicted of drug crimes involving methamphetamine are entered into a database known as the Oklahoma Meth Offender Registry. This is the registry checked by pharmacists before dispensing pseudoephedrine and other precursors of methamphetamine.
Another crime registry in Oklahoma is the violent crime registry established by the Mary Rippy Violent Crime Offenders Registration Act.
Enacted in 2004, the Mary Rippy Violent Crime Offenders Registration Act requires those convicted of certain violent offenses on or after November 1, 2004, to register with local law enforcement, much as convicted sex offenders must register.
Convictions requiring violent crime offender registration pursuant to the act include the following:
- First Degree Murder
- Second Degree Murder
- First Degree Manslaughter
- Shooting with Intent to Kill; Assault and Battery with a Deadly Weapon; Use of a Vehicle to Facilitate Use of a Firearm, Crossbow or other Weapon;
- Assault with Intent to Kill; and
- Bombing and Explosives Violations.
Additionally, state laws makes provision for including certain people convicted of abuse crimes on the registry:
Effective July 1, 2008, the requirement to register for crimes of abuse must be determined by the judge at the time of sentencing or upon granting the offender a deferred judgment. The judge must determine if the crime resulted in physical pain, injury, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, unreasonable restraint or confinement, mental anguish to the victim, deprivation of nutrition, clothing, shelter, health care, or other care or services which caused serious physical or mental injury to the victim. The judge must also determine whether the facts or nature of the offense warrant registration for public disclosure and protection of victims. The judge will not order registration as a violent offender if the person is already required to register as a sex offender for the same offense. The following crimes of abuse will be registered only upon a specific order of the sentencing judge:
- a. 10 O.S. § 7115, Abuse or Neglect of Child/Child Beating;
- b. 21 O.S. § 843.1, Caretaker Abuse or Neglect;
- c. 21 O.S. § 843.2, Verbal Abuse by a Caretaker (misdemeanor);
- d. 21 O.S. § 852, Omission to Provide for a Child; and
- e. 21 O.S. § 852.1, Child Endangerment
In other words, if a judge determines an abuse crime should be subject to violent crime offender registration at the time of sentencing, the defendant will be required to register. If registration is not ordered at sentencing, the person convicted of child abuse, elder abuse, or abuse by caretaker will not be required to register.
Violent crime offenders stipulated in the act must register for a period of 10 years following the completion of the sentence. Registration includes photographs, fingerprinting, DNA testing, and more. The registrants of the Oklahoma Violent Crime Offender Registry are publicly available on the Department of Corrections website.
