Juvenile Megan’s Law in New Jersey
Megan’s Law Applies to Juveniles
Megan’s law specifically applies to persons convicted or “adjudicated delinquent” of certain offenses. The “adjudicated delinquent” language refers specifically to juveniles. If your son or daughter has been charged with any of the following offenses, they may be required to register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law.
- Aggravated Sexual Assault
- Sexual Assault
- Aggravated Criminal Sexual Contact
- Criminal Sexual Contact (if victim is a minor)
- Kidnapping if victim is under 16 years of age
- Endangering the Welfare of a Child (in certain circumstances)
- Luring
- False Imprisonment (if victim is a minor)
If your son or daughter has been charged with any of these offenses in Burlington County, you should speak immediately with a Burlington County Juvenile Lawyer to discuss your child’s options.
The History of Megan’s Law
Jesse Timmendequas was charged with the murder of seven-year-old Megan Kanka in New Jersey.
Megan had last been seen riding her bike outside her home in West Windsor Township, New Jersey, on July 29. Her parents found her bike on the front lawn and immediately began to search for her. The following day, her body was discovered in Mercer County Park. Jesse Timmendequas, who lived across the street from Kanka and had two (2) prior convictions for sexual assault, was arrested.
In the aftermath of this horrible crime, Megan’s parents lobbied state legislators for a new law, arguing that if they had known about Timmendequas’ background they would have been able to protect their daughter. Kanka’s death inspired Megan’s Law, a statute enacted in 1994 requiring that information about convicted sex felons be available to the public. A database of all types of sex offenders is now accessible through a 900 number and CD-ROMs at police stations around the state. Megan’s Law became a federal law in 1996.