Utah Reviewer's Comments

The State of Utah Sex Offender Registry offers basic information on offenders convicted of one or more crimes as specified by the state including Enticing a Minor Over the Internet and Child Kidnapping. Like other states in the lower third of the rankings, Utah includes few details in the profiles, no risk assessment, and no interactive map—three areas where improvement would significantly increase the usefulness of the site for Utah residents. 

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Information Provided:  

The offender profiles have a physical description, name and home address; work and school addresses are excluded. Vehicle information is included when available. The offense and conviction date is included and brief victim information like Female, Child/Minor. 

Search Functions:  

Utah only offers three search criteria: last name, first name and zip code. You can’t search by first name only—last name or zip code is required. You can exclude incarcerated offenders. 

Additional Site Features:  

Community resources on this topic are sparse. There are links to Victim Services and Help Offenders Succeed. Utah should make the effort to provide safety and prevention information on this website for its residents. 

Ease of Use:  

Information and search functions are minimal; consequently, it is a simple site to access. 

Contact Information:  

Contact the Utah Department of Corrections by phone or email. 

Summary:  

With the highest proportion of families in the country (U.S. Census 2000), Utah should make improvements to what could be a valuable community resource. Assigning severity levels to offenses, adding search options, incorporating an interactive map, and including helpful safety and prevention information would benefit the families of this state.