Going to jail for failure to pay the fine or fee rather than just fill out the paperwork is double jeopardy. That's being fought in some states.

This is crazy!!! First of all, they nickle and dime you with having to pay court fees and PO fees and if you don't pay, you are going to jail! Believe me, I have been paying all of this for my son and I have watched that wicked judge (she devil) through people in jail for not paying their PO fees or their court costs. I heard her ask the clerk next to her and then she revoked this guy's probation and put him in jail for six years!!! Now you are going to tell me that they are going to start this bull? They have made it so dog on tough for SOs to get jobs and they just keep tacking on more and more money! Its all about the mighty dollar! I am so outraged seeing this!!!!! I live in Louisiana and when they hear about this they will be jumping on the same wagon! UGGGGGH!

I have a better idea. The registry is supposed to be there to notify the public of "the big bad wolf", the states should charge those who access the registry. They are the ones who actually use it, not the SO and family members. Any other website charges people who use it....

The only reason they are soon this is because lawmakers are finding how how much it takes to sustain a site like this and don't have the resources to keep it up. So they try to take it from those who can barely provide for themselves.

a lot of us are already being charged but i say if there going to charge others they might as well give us life insurance when we register because you never know when it will happen

I think in Missouri an RSO's pays $10.00 if he / she is new to the registry and then $5.00 every three months thereafter.... here is my question.

If the money is being taken on the premise that it is to keep the registry going what happens if they collect more money than it costs to maintain the registry? Where does the excess money go?

Furthermore, if they are going to charge, then does the public not have a right to have copies of all billing invoices to show how much money is taken in, where it is being spent, and how much money it takes to maintain the registry?

Wow, as usual folks here have very good points! I especially like charging the end user. That would provide a record. I could only hope that would over load the whole thing. That way it would crash, burn, and go back to where it came from. ;-)

The state were I reside says:

How much does it cost to register, and where does the money go?

Both sexual offenders and violent sexual offenders pay an annual administrative fee of $150. An administrative fee of $100 goes directly to the agency where the offender registers and $50 goes to the Bureau of Investigation..

LegalGuardian: You're right about the initial fee of $10 in Missouri. The $5 fee is for whenever there's a change in info like vehicles or addresses.

brighside: Thanks for letting me know. Does the $5.00 apply if a person changes counties or do they have to pay the $10.00 if they move and have to register with a new sheriff's office?

I'm not sure, but I asked my hubby, and he believes you'd only have to pay the $5 fee because it'd be considered an address change. You may want to look into that, though...