- Local Level 3 Sex Offender List
- Request for Sex Offender Information Locally
- Request for Sex Offender Information Statewide
What is a sex offender?
A sex offender is any person who resides or works in the Commonwealth and who has been convicted of a sex offense, or who has been adjudicated as a youthful offender or as a delinquent juvenile by reason of a sex offense, or a person released from incarceration or parole or probation supervision or custody with the department of youth services for such a conviction or adjudication, or a person who has been adjudicated a sexually dangerous person or a person released from civil commitment on or after August 1, 1981.
For a listing of crimes that require registration as a sex offender please review “Who Has to Register” at the Sex Offender Registry Board (SORB) web site.
Sex offenders will be classified according to the degree of dangerousness they pose to the public and their likelihood for re-offense. An offender’s classification will be:
Level 1 or Low Risk Offender
Where the Sex Offender Registry Board determines that the risk of re-offense by an offender is low and the degree of dangerousness posed to the public by that offender is not such that a public safety interest is served by public availability, the Board shall give that offender a Level 1 designation.
Information on Level 1 offenders will not be available to the public. Neither the police nor the Board have the authority to disseminate information to the general public identifying a Level 1 offender.
Information identifying Level 1 offenders may only be given to the department of correction, any county correctional facility, the department of youth services, the department of social services, the parole Board, the department of probation and the department of mental health, all city and town police departments and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for law enforcement purposes.
Level 2 or Moderate Risk Offender
Where the Board determines that the risk of re-offense is moderate and the degree of dangerousness posed to the public is such that a public safety interest is served by public availability of registration information, it shall give a level 2 designation to the sex offender.
The public shall have access to the information regarding a level 2 offender through the Great Barrington Police Department.
Level 3 or High Risk Offender
Where the Board determines that the risk of re-offense is high and the degree of dangerousness posed to the public is such that a substantial public safety interest is served by active dissemination, it shall give a level 3 designation to the sex offender.
The public shall have access to the information regarding a level 3 offender through the Great Barrington Police Department and through the Sex Offender Registry Board.
Sexually Violent Predator
If the Board, in finally giving an offender a level 3 classification, also concludes that such sex offender should be designated a Sexually Violent Predator, the Board shall transmit a report to the sentencing court explaining the Board’s reasons for so recommending, including specific identification of the sexually violent offense committed by such sex offender and the mental abnormality from which he suffers. The sentencing court at that point may determine by a preponderance of the evidence, whether such sex offender is a Sexually Violent Predator.
The public shall have access to the information regarding a Sexually Violent Predator through the Great Barrington Police Department and through the Sex Offender Registry Board.
Obtaining Information About Sex Offenders Living/Working In Great Barrington
Any member of the public who is at least 18 years of age or older may request sex offender information. The information will be provided to any person who is seeking the information for his/her own protection or for the protection of a child under the age of 18 or for the protection of another person whom the requesting person has responsibility, care, or custody.
You may request sex offender information at the Great Barrington Police Department or through the Sex Offender Registry Board directly. Level III offenders are posted on the SORB web site under “Community Search”. Follow this link to the Sex Offender Registry Board for much more detailed information, forms and to check for sex offender information.
PLEASE NOTE
Information about a sex offender is available to the public only if he/she has a duty to register and he/she has been finally classified by the Board as a Level 2 or a Level 3 Offender. Before an offender can be finally classified, he/she must be offered the opportunity for an administrative, evidentiary hearing to determine his/her degree of dangerousness and likelihood for re-offense. As a result, information pertaining to a sex offender will not be available to the public unless and until he/she has been given the opportunity for a hearing. Once an offender is finally classified as a Level 2 or a Level 3 Offender, his/her sex offender registry information will be available to the public. Registry information will be updated regularly. You may obtain registry information by appearing in person at your local police department or by requesting information from the Board by mail. Please check this website often for updates.
Sex Offender Information Available at Local Police Departments
PLEASE NOTE: Information about a sex offender is available to the public only if he/she has a duty to register and he/she has been finally classified by the Board as a Level 2 or a Level 3 Offender. Before an offender can be finally classified, he/she must be offered the opportunity for an administrative, evidentiary hearing to determine his/her degree of dangerousness and likelihood for re-offense. As a result, information pertaining to a sex offender will not be available to the public unless and until he/she has been given the opportunity for a hearing. The Board is currently contacting offenders to offer them the opportunity to have a hearing. Once an offender is finally classified as a Level 2 or a Level 3 Offender, his/her sex offender registry information will be available to the public. Registry information will be updated regularly. You may obtain registry information by appearing in person at your local police department or by requesting information from the Board by mail. Please check this website often for updates.
A person may request sex offender information by going to his/her local city or town police station. After presenting proper identification, the requester must fill out a sex offender request form containing:
- The name and address of the requester.
- Information may be requested in the following manners:
- Inquire whether a specifically named individual or a person described by sufficient identifying information to allow the police to identify the individual is a sex offender; or
- The requester may inquire whether any sex offenders live or work within the same city or town of a specific address, including, but not limited to, a residential address, business address, school, after school program, day care center, playground, recreational area or other identified address; or
- The requester may inquire whether any sex offenders live or work at a specific street address within the city or town where the person is requesting sex offender information; or
- Where the police department is located in a city or town with more than one zip code area, the inquiry may ask whether any sex offenders live or work within a specified zip code. In Boston such inquiry may be made by specified police district.
- The reason for the request.
- The date and time of the request.
If the request results in the identification of a sex offender, the police will distribute the offender’s name, home address, work address, age, sex, height, weight, eye and hair color, the sex offenses committed and the dates of conviction and/or adjudication and a photo of the offender, if available.
The information will be provided free of charge.
All information provided to the public will include language prohibiting the misuse of sex offender information for harassment or discriminatory purposes.
All records of inquiry will be kept confidential, except to assist or defend in a criminal prosecution.
The police will not release information identifying the victim by name, address or relation to the offender.
For copies of the form to request sex offender information from the Great Barrington Police Department see link above, as well as under ‘Forms’.
NOTE: Any information provided by either the police or the Sex Offender Registry Board will be limited only to offenders who have been finally classified by the Board Level 2 or Level 3 offenders or Sexually Violent Predators. The law prohibits the Board and police departments from disseminating any information on a sex offender who has not been finally classified by the Board or who has been finally classified as a Level 1 offender.
This list should not be construed as to include all dangerous individuals who may live or work in Great Barrington. There may be other dangerous individuals who have not been caught, not been convicted, whose offense does not at this time come under the Sex Offender Registration law, who have not been classified by the Sex Offender Registry Board or who currently have court injunctions preventing the release of their information.
Penalties For Improper Use Of Sex Offender Registry Information
Information contained in the Sex Offender Registry shall not be used to commit a crime against an offender or to engage in illegal discrimination or harassment of an offender. Any person who improperly uses Sex Offender Registry information shall be punished by not more than two and one-half years in the house of correction or by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by both such fine and imprisonment.
Sex Offender Information Available Through Written Request to the Sex Offender Registry Board
A person may request sex offender information from the Board. Requests must be made on a form approved by the Board. The Board will provide a report identifying whether the person is a sex offender with an obligation to register, the offenses for which he/she was convicted or adjudicated and the dates of such convictions or adjudications. The Board will only disseminate information on offenders who have been finally classified as a Level 2 (moderate risk) or Level 3 (high risk) offender. The law prohibits the dissemination of information unless and until the offender is finally classified as a Level 2 or a Level 3 offender. The law strictly prohibits the dissemination of information on Level 1 (low risk) offenders.
The information will be provided free of charge.
All information provided to the public will include language prohibiting the misuse of sex offender information for harassment or discriminatory purposes.
All records of inquiry will be kept confidential, except to assist or defend in a criminal prosecution.
NOTE: Any information provided by either the police or the Board will be limited only to offenders who have been finally classified by the Board as Level 2 or Level 3 offenders . The law prohibits the Board and police departments from disseminating any information on a sex offender who has not been finally classified by the Board or who has been finally classified as a Level 1 offender.
Community Notification Plan—–Level III Offenders
Pursuant to MGL Chapter 6 Section 178K (2) the Great Barrington Police Department has developed the following Level III Sex Offender Notification Plan.
Upon receipt of Level III SORI the department shall, within two business days, notify by mail the following:
- All schools, public and private, which are known to the Department. Said notification will be sent to the attention of the Principal.
- All licensed day care facilities, which are known to the Department. Said notification will be sent to the attention of the Person in
Charge. - All other organizations, from a list established by the Department, who are eligible to receive such notification. Organizations in the community that are likely to encounter sex offenders include, but are not limited to, public and private organizations, areas and establishments which provide services of any type to children, the elderly or other vulnerable members of the population. Examples are youth athletic leagues, churches, shopping malls, scout groups and nursing homes.
- The Department shall post a public notice in the following locations: Great Barrington Town Hall; Mason Library; Ramsdel Library; Great Barrington Post Office, Housatonic Post Office and will put on our website.
To get on the Department’s mailing list to receive LEVEL III sex offender notifications contact Cara Becker at 413-528-0306, ext. 114
Community notification shall occur each time a Level III sex offender changes his or her home or work address; enrolls as a student or obtains employment at an Institution of Higher Learning; or transfers from an Institution of Higher Learning.
If a Level III sex offender has been designated a sexually violent predator, community notification shall occur every 90 days.
An annual community notification on all Level III sex offenders registered with the Department will occur during the months of January and July. Such notification will be done in accordance with this Community Notification Plan.
Audit of Records:
Annually the police department audits addresses of all Level II and Level III sex offenders living/working in town.