Sex Offender Law

   The Champaign County Sheriff's office says sex offenders should know where they can and can't be. It was called into question after a registered sex offender walked into Urbana High School.  He told police he didn't know if he could or couldn't be there, but officers say that's not possible.
    There are several categories for sex offenders, violent, sexual predator, or sex offender. The rules are different for each, but  all sex offenders have to sign this state sex offender registration form and police say they all understand what rights they do and don't have because of forms like this.
   As for the offender at Urbana high school, police won't say what type of offender he was. We do know he wasn't charged for being there. If he's a sexual predator he cannot be within 500 feet of a school. If he's simply a registered sex offender that rule doesn't apply, but deputies say in this case it doesn't matter. When police interviewed him, he said he was dropping off his niece at the high school. He told them he wasn't aware he couldn't be at school because of his background. Lieutenant Greg Mills says that's because, "not only are they given the information before they are told they are responsible for registering once they do register they are given forms which they initial that explain what they are about to enter into."
   Parole officers tell sex offenders every year what their status is and what it means for them. Officers say the forms do change, but when that happens the offender goes through the form with his parole officer and initials each change. Officers say one thing that hasn't changed for awhile is the distance child sex offenders must stay from a school 500 feet..