The Sex Offender Registry was established under the provisions of the Sexual Offences Act, 2009, and became operational in July 2014. Its operation is governed by the Sexual Offences (Registration of Sex Offenders) Regulations, 2012. The Registry is managed by the Commissioner of Corrections and is currently located at 12–14 Lockett Avenue, Kingston Gardens, Kingston 4.
The Registry is responsible for:
Registration System
Jamaica uses an offence-based registration system, which mandates that sex offenders convicted of specified offences be registered. This system is not based on risk assessment or sentence length, and therefore may not reflect the offender's level of dangerousness.
Who Must Be Registered?
Individuals convicted (and not exempted) of any of the specified offences under the following Acts must be registered:
Examples of specified offences include:
Registered offenders are monitored for a minimum of 10 years before they are eligible to apply for removal from the Register.
Reporting Obligations of Sex Offenders
Sex offenders are required to report to the Registration Centre serving their parish in the following instances:
A ‘Notice on Absence of Sex Offender‘ form must be submitted in person for travel or long absences.
Removal from the Register
After 10 years, a sex offender may become eligible for the termination of registration and reporting requirements. The process is as follows:
Further applications for termination can only be made if the initial 10-year period has been extended or varied.
Penalties for Breaches
Failure to comply with the reporting and notification requirements constitutes an offence under the Sexual Offences Act, 2009. Penalties include:
Access to Information
The Registry and Register are strictly confidential. Access is restricted to authorised individuals or organisations with a legitimate interest, including:
Applications must be made in writing to:
Registration Centres
Each parish in Jamaica has a designated Sex Offender Registry Registration Centre, except Kingston and St. Andrew, which share a joint centre. These centres are typically housed within Probation Offices, and are equipped to handle:
