When you receive a criminal conviction in Hawaii for a sexually based offense, you have an obligation to register with the state as a sex offender. Chapter 846E-1 outlines exactly who the state considers to be a sex offender and the types of offenses that might land you in this category.
Per the State of Hawaii Department of the Attorney General, there are clear rules and guidelines surrounding how and when you must register as a sex offender with the state. Failing to do so within the appropriate timeframe may lead to additional legal trouble.
How long you have to register
You have a legal obligation to register as a sex offender in person with your local chief of police. You must make this notification within three days of arriving in Hawaii, or within three days or your release from incarceration, commitment, furlough or probation. You also have a legal duty to register as a sex offender within three days of receiving a conviction that did not involve jail time, or within three days of placement on parole.
What happens if you fail to register
The state of Hawaii considers failing to register as a sex offender to be a serious offense. Failing to follow the registration guidelines stipulated in Chapter 846E is a class C felony offense. A conviction for such an offense may lead to prison time, hefty fines and other criminal consequences. It also leads to collateral consequences, which refer to the penalties you may face after an offense that come from somewhere other than the criminal justice system.
In the absence of special circumstances, such as filing a special petition to terminate the sex offender registration requirements, your inclusion on the state’s sex offender registry is typically lifelong.