Idaho Sheriffs Sex Offender Registration and Tracking Program The Idaho Sheriffs’ Association will be managing a statewide sex offender registration system beginning later this year. Currently, approximately 10 counties independently operate a sex offender registry system called OffenderWatch. The remaining counties register sex offenders manually, reporting data to the Idaho State Police. The parent company of OffenderWatch, Watch Systems, operates in 37 states as well as contracts with the U.S. Marshal’s Service. The association received authorization from the Idaho legislature this year to collect an additional $40 from sex offender annual registrations to be applied toward operating a statewide system. The fee will pay for all existing OffenderWatch systems as well as all counties not on the program. The new system will eventually interface automatically with the State Sex Offender Repository managed by the State Police, but until then a manual interface will be used to report registrations. The advantages of the new system will be more timely reporting and efficient tracking of offenders. All Idaho law enforcement will have immediate access to the data allowing more relevent information in the hands of investigators when sex crimes are reported. Additionally, sex offender history will be available to all law enforcement regardless of point of registration allowing more “eyes” on offender activities.

Sex Offender Registration