Lifetime Supervision

Vegas Lawyer Explains Lifetime Supervision for Sex Crimes

For most defendants who are convicted of a crime, their penalties end when they are released from incarceration and finished with parole. For those convicted of sex crimes, however, the consequences of a conviction can literally stay with you for the rest of your entire life. This is because of special rules under Nevada law allowing for lifetime supervision and requiring lifetime registration as a sex offender.

Lifetime supervision can mean your involvement with the criminal justice system never ends. Moving on, finding a job and employment, can all be very difficult when you are faced with the prospect of lifetime supervision and registration. As a result, you need to do everything you can to try to avoid lifetime supervision- and to explore options for petitioning for release.

LV Criminal Defense has experience with sex crimes laws in Nevada, and we can help. We understand the rules and the requirements for lifetime supervision and we work hard to ensure that you do everything possible to avoid conviction for an offense that will result in this type of supervision.

We also provide assistance to defendants who want to make the most compelling arguments for why they should be released from lifetime supervision. Give our Las Vegas defense attorneys a call today to find out more about how we can help in sex crimes cases, including in those cases in which lifetime supervision is a possible consequence.

What are the Rules for Lifetime Supervision in Nevada?

Lifetime supervision is addressed in Nevada Revised Statute section 176.0931. According to the relevant law, when a defendant is convicted of a sexual offense, the court should include a special sentence of lifetime supervision in addition to other penalties that are imposed during the sentencing phase.

The lifetime supervision which a defendant is sentenced to will begin after any period of probation or parole is completed and after the defendant has been released from imprisonment. It will continue indefinitely over the course of the offender’s life. However, there are certain circumstances under which an offender may petition for release from lifetime supervision.

Petitioning for Release from Lifetime Supervision

If you are sentenced to lifetime supervision, you can submit a petition for release from this supervision to the court that sentenced you or to the State Board of Parole Commissioners. The court or the parole commissioners should grant the petition for release from lifetime supervision if:

• You have complied with all of the requirements set forth under Nevada law which apply to individuals under supervision.
• You have gone at least 10 consecutive years from the later of your release from incarceration or your last conviction without being convicted of any offense that poses a threat to the safety or the well-being of other individuals.
• You are unlikely to pose a threat to anyone else’s safety if you are released from lifetime supervision. An assessment must be made of your likeliness to pose a threat by a person who is professionally qualified to conduct a psychosexual evaluation.

If you are released from lifetime supervision, this does not mean that you will no longer experience any ongoing effects as a result of your conviction for a sexual offense. You will still be required to register as a sex offender and any requirements regarding community notification will still apply to you.

Can You Be Released from the Sex Offender Registry?

Many defendants who are released from supervision want to move on with their lives, which means being released from their obligation to register as a sex offender. However, you will be required to continue registering as a sex offender for as long as Nevada law requires you to do so. Nevada Revised Statute section 179D.490 explains when a person’s duty to register as a sex offender ends. According to the relevant law:

• The full period for which you will be required to register as a Tier 1 offender is fifteen years.
• The full period for which you will be required to register as a Tier II offender is 25 years.
• The full period for which you will be required to register is the remainder of your life if you are a Tier III offender.

The time limit is measured outside of the time in which you are confined or incarcerated. This means the clock does not begin running on the length of required registration if you are in prison. However, there are certain circumstances under which you may request a reduction in the period of time in which you must register.

If you comply with all registration requirements and you are eligible based on the specific sexual offense you were convicted of, you could petition to reduce the period of time in which registration is required. To submit this petition, you must complete a sex offender treatment program that has been certified either by the U.S. Attorney General or by the state of Nevada.

You will need to file your petition in the jurisdiction where you are required to register. If you satisfy the requirements, you can present witnesses and evidence to show the court why you should be released from registration requirements early. Depending upon the strength of your arguments, the court could reduce your required registration period by five years if you are a Tier I offender or could reduce a required lifetime registration to a period of 25 years.

How Las Vegas Criminal Defense Lawyers Can Help You

If you are accused of any offense which could be considered a sex crime, you need to understand exactly how high the stakes are. You could face lifetime supervision, and decades or life as a registered sex offender. You want to do everything you can to avoid this fate or to try to seek relief if you are sentenced to supervision and to the registry.

LV Criminal Defense is here to help. We can assist you in exploring your options for avoiding conviction and we will work hard to help you convince the court to release you from supervision and to shorten your time on the registry.

To learn more about the ways in which we can assist you if you’re facing sex crimes charges, give our Las Vegas criminal defense lawyers a call today.