The Offender Check feature in Visitly is designed to enhance security by cross-referencing visitor names with a Sex Offender Registry (SOR). If a match is found, it is flagged in the visitor details, allowing admins to take appropriate action. 

What Does Offender Check Do?

When enabled, this feature:

• Compares the visitor’s name against a Sex Offender Registry (SOR). 

• Flags the visitor in the Visit Details if a match is found. 

• Displays different statuses based on the verification outcome, along with an attached photo (if available in the database).

How To Enable Offender Check

Enable this feature for specific visitor types.

1. Log in to your Visitly Dashboard.

2. Navigate to Locations. 

3. Select the location where you want to enable Offender Check and click Edit. 

4. In the left menu, go to Visitor Types. 

5. Select the Visitor Type for which you want to activate Offender Check and click Edit. 

6. Enable ID Capture, then enable Offender Check. 

7. Click Save to apply the changes.

How To Configure A Watchlist Rule For Offender Check

Set up automated notifications for offender verification.

1. Navigate to Global or Local Watchlist. 

2. Click on Add New. 

3. Select Offender Check as the watchlist group type. 

4. Choose the Status that should create a watchlist flag. Available statuses include:

• Match Found 

• Match Not Found 

• System Error 

• Unable to Perform

5. Save the rule to activate it.

Key Functionalities 

• Family Watchdog pulls from each state’s Sex Offender database and updates as soon as the states’ databases update. 

• The system is cloud-based, continuously updating at the same pace as each state’s regular updates/requirements (which vary by state). 

• Searches cover all 50 states, DC, Guam, Virgin Islands, PR, and all 26 US Indian Tribes. 

• The system automatically searches for nicknames associated with the entered name (e.g., Johnathan > John, Jon; Robert > Bob). 

• The sex offender check performed by Family Watchdog is an API call requiring only first name, last name, and date of birth to search and identify potential matches. 

Sex Offender Check Process And Law Enforcement

The Sex Offender check process using Family Watchdog DOES NOT automatically alert law enforcement when a potential match is returned, nor when a match is confirmed. It is the responsibility of the administrators to take the necessary action in the case of a potential or confirmed match.

For the full details on the Offender Check feature, visit Visitly's Offender Check Addendum to TOS.

Need Help?

If you have questions or require assistance, please contact our support team at support@visitly.io.