New Mexico - State Sex Offender Registry - Overview and Analysis - March 2005

New Mexico - State Sex Offender Registry - Overview and Analysis

The New Mexico Sex Offender Registry enables the community to search using various methods to quickly identify sex offenders living near their family and friends.

Search Options:

• BY NAME: Last Name only - you can search for "Wilson" and not enter a first name - excellent search feature!
• BY ZIP CODE
• BY CITY
• BY COUNTY - dropdown list provided
• ENTIRE STATE
• ABSCONDERS - An absconder is an individual whose whereabouts are unknown or their address is not verified. This list only contains absconders known to be in New Mexico.

Suggestion: When user enters zip code, search all zip codes within 1 mile radius of entered zip code.

Example: User enters zip code = 87106 but is unaware zip codes 87102, 87101, and 87151 are within a 2 mile radius of zip code 87106.

click here to view one vendor which sells inexpensive, high quality zip code radius data.

Search Summary Results:

After the User clicks "Submit", a list of records matching the search criteria is displayed (user can click to get detail on each sex offender in the list) - data displayed is:

• Offender - Full name (First, Middle, Last)
• Offender Home address
• Offender Hme address county
• The results are sorted by offender last name

Author editorial:

The purpose of this display is to help users:

a. understand how many sex offenders are in their area

b. understand the risk level of sex offenders in their area - This is not displayed for New Mexico.

c. determine which records to select (or click) to view details (including photos) - no thumbnail photo on search summary result page

Suggestion:  Add most recent thumbnail photo to each row on this display. 

Sex Offender Record Details:

• Name (First Middle Last)
• Physical Characteristics - Date of Birth, sex, age, Height, weight, race, hair color, eye color
• Date of Conviction, Place of Conviction
• Photo(s) - one photo is auto-displayed with date of photo - see "Photograph Date".
• Date of Registration, Date of Re-Registration
• Aliases
• Sex Offense Conviction - offense
• Scars, Marks, and Tattoos
• Address Information - Home Address, Work Address (if releasable)

Suggestions: 

1. Consider a mapping application - Check out California's sex offender mapping application.

2. Enable user to enter home address and display all sex offenders within 5 miles of their home address - display the closest sex offender first.

3. Consider comparing all home addresses of foster families in New Mexico to this database to ensure there are no sex offenders living close or next door to foster families.

This site is intuitive and easy to use.