5 Protected Zones That Are Off-Limits to Sex Offenders

Child in Playground

In Utah, a registered sex offender is required to follow constraints as to where they can go or travel and how frequently they need to update information for Utah’s sex offender registry. Depending on the crime and the level of sex offender, they may also have restrictions as to if and when they can invite any child to accompany them anywhere. If you are curious to learn more about Utah’s laws regarding sex offenders, read on.

The Protected Zones That Are Off-Limits to Sex Offenders Who Have Been Convicted of a Sex Crime

Those who have been convicted of a sex crime against a child are not allowed in five zones where children frequent. The length of the time that they are prohibited from attending these areas is based on how long they are required to register as a sex offender. As long as they remain on the registry, they must stay away. The five protected zones include licensed day cares and preschools, swimming pools that are open to the public, both public and private primary and secondary schools that are not located at a correctional facility, a community park that is open to the public and playgrounds that are open to the public. If a sex offender is found to have visited one or more of these places, they can be charged with a felony.

How Long a Sex Offender Remains on the Sex Offender Registration Based on Their Crime

The length of time a sex offender is required to register is based on the crimes they committed. In the state of Utah, an offender is required to register twice a year. Once on their birth month and once six months after their birth month. They are required to provide their address, secondary address, place of employment, vehicle information and a current picture when they register. If they fail to register, they may be charged with a felony.

In the state of Utah, a sex offender must register for 10 years after they have completed their sentence if they were convicted of, plead guilty to or plead no contest to these charges:

Aggravated human trafficking
Custodial sexual relations of a child under 18 years of age
Forcible sexual abuse
Incest
Kidnapping
4 or more convictions for lewdness
Lewdness involving a minor
4 or more convictions for sexual battery
Sexual abuse of a minor
Sexual exploitation of a vulnerable adult
Unlawful sexual activity with a minor
Unlawful sexual conduct with a 16 or 17-year-old
Voyeurism
Attempting, soliciting or conspiring to commit any felonies offenses in this list or the life registry list below

While each of these convictions carries a 10-year sex offender registration requirement, the registration requirement changes to lifetime registration requirement if the individual is convicted of two or more separate convictions during the course of their life.

If an individual is convicted of, pleads guilty to or pleads no contest to certain crimes in the state of Utah, they must register as a sex offender for life. Those charges include:

Aggravated exploitation of prostitution
Aggravated kidnapping
Aggravated sexual assault
Child kidnapping
Enticing a minor
Forcible Sodomy
Object rape of an adult or child
Rape of an adult or child
Sexual abuse or aggravated sexual abuse of a child
Sexual exploitation of a minor
Sodomy on a child

It is important to note that sex offender laws changed in 2008. As such, those convicted before the laws changed may only have to register for 10 years after their release for these crimes based on the laws that were in place when they were convicted. Those convicted after the laws changed in 2008 have to register as a sex offender for their entire life if they were found guilty of one of these crimes.

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