NATIONAL DATABASE ON SEXUAL OFFENDERS (NDSO)

Feb. 25, 2019

According to Union Home Ministry, names of more than 5 lakh sex offenders, who were convicted for crimes against women, have been added to sex offender’s database.

About: 

  • The Criminal Law Act, 2018, provides for a national registry of sexual offenders. 

  • It is a central database of “sexual offenders” in the country which will assist in effectively tracking and investigating cases of sexual offences. 

  • It will be maintained by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) and is accessible only to the law enforcement agencies (like state police) for investigation and monitoring purpose. 

  • The database will include offenders convicted under charges of rape, gang rape, POCSO and eve teasing. At present the database contains 4.4 lakh entries. 

  • The database includes name, address, photograph and fingerprint details for each entry without compromising any individual’s privacy. 

  • The data will be stored for (a) 15 years for those posing low danger, (b) 25 years for those posing moderate danger and (c) lifetime for habitual offenders involved in violent crimes like gang-rapes. 

  • U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, South Africa and Trinidad &Tobago are some of the other countries having similar databases. 

Source : The Hindu