The majority of registered sex offenders in Benton County ARE NOT included in our Sex Offender Community Notification web page. Only "predatory" sex offenders are listed on the web page.

According to Oregon law, any person who has been convicted of Rape in any degree, Sodomy in any degree, Unlawful Sexual Penetration in any degree, Sexual Abuse in any degree or any attempt to commit one of these crimes may be designated as "predatory." A "predatory" offender is someone who exhibits characteristics showing a tendency to victimize or injure others. In determining whether a person is a "predatory" sex offender, the supervising parole and probation agency shall use the Oregon Sex Offender Risk Assessment Scale approved by the Oregon Department of Corrections. Some of the indicators on the risk assessment that would designate someone as being "predatory" are history of sexual crimes, history of sexual offense convictions, whether the offense(s) are stranger-to-victim, existence of multiple victims – whether the offender has a current sex offense conviction, use of weapons or threats, existence of prior non-sexual criminal history, existence of forcible rape, use of weapons during the commission of offense and men who molest boys (multiple victims). At least three of these indicators must be present in order for someone to be designated "predatory." The only exception is a person who is being released from prison. In those cases, the Oregon Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision may designate them as predatory if their score on the Oregon Sex Offender Risk Assessment Scale is at least a negative fifty-five (-55).

Once a sex offender has been designated as a being "predatory," they are placed on the Benton County Sheriff's Office web site.  In addition, a plan for community notification is worked up. In Benton County, this responsibility is shared by the Sex Offender Community Notification Committee, consisting of the offender’s probation/parole officer, and representatives from the District Attorney’s Office, Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division, Corvallis Police Department, Services to Children and Families and a sex offender therapist. The committee meets regularly to discuss cases and decide the level of community notification that should be implemented. Common types of notification, in addition to being placed on the web site,  include alerting local law enforcement, placing an advertisement in the local newspaper,  going door-to-door to schools, agencies and homes in the area of where the "predatory" sex offender is residing.

Again, not all sex offenders appear on this web site. Examples include those sex offenders who have not yet been convicted or sentenced, those who are being supervised in jurisdictions other than Benton County and those who have not been deemed "predatory." 

A "predatory" sex offender designation is a life-long designation. If someone is placed on the Benton County Predatory Sex Offender Web Page they will remain there the entire time that they are supervised by Benton County Community Corrections. When someone has completed their period of probation or parole supervision, responsibility for any further community notification transfers to the Oregon State Police.

 Sex Offender Notification Page

-from the Sheriff's Dept.

Corvallis Community Pages