Los Angeles County Launches Online

Sex Offender Locator Map

Los Angeles County has launched a searchable database pinpointing the locations of sex offenders registered in the County. The site does not list names or addresses of registered sex offenders, but gives users the ability to learn if a registered sex offender is living within a given area. The information used to build the database is provided by the california Department of Justice, and is updated weekly.

Users can search by:

• City or Community Name
• Zip Code
• Address
  • within 1/10 mile
  • within 1/2 mile
  • within 3/4 mile
  • within 1 mile

Search results include a Thomas Brothers Map marked with the locations of registered sex offenders. While the localities, streets, intersections and landmarks are all identified on the maps, the addresses of the sex offenders are not.

Users can manipulate the maps displayed with the site's built in tools:

• Zoom In
• Zoom Out
• Pan
• Identify (Zip Code only)
• Zoom Out (full to LA County View)

To use these these map tools, you have to click the corresponding button, place your cursor over the area of interest, hold down the left mouse button and drag your cursor (to form a box over the area to zoom into or out of). Clicking the "Identify" button and then clicking any point in the map delivers the zip code for that point.

The site points users to "Megan's Law public viewing terminals," located in police stations, for additional information. The site also pinpoints those viewing station locations on the map and offers driving directions at the click of one button. (The public viewing terminals also do not provide addresses. However, data available from the public viewing terminals includes: the name, known aliases, gender, race, physical description, photograph, date of birth, and the sex crimes they were convicted of, and the zip code of the offenderÕs home.)