CHAPTER 9.5. Statewide Sexual Predator Apprehension Team [13885. - 13885.8.]

Cal. Penal Code - PEN 9.5.

in effect

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 13885. Section 13885.

The Legislature hereby finds that a substantial and disproportionate amount of sexual offenses are committed against the people of California by a relatively small number of multiple and repeat sex offenders. In enacting this chapter, the Legislature intends to support efforts of the criminal justice community through a focused effort by law enforcement and prosecuting agencies to identify, locate, apprehend, and prosecute sex offenders.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 13885.1. Section 13885.1.

The Attorney General shall maintain, upon appropriation of funds by the Legislature, a statewide Sexual Predator Apprehension Team force. The Sexual Predator Apprehension Team force shall be comprised of special agent teams throughout California. The teams shall focus on repeat sex offenders, and perform the following activities: (a) Coordinate state and local investigative resources to apprehend high risk sex offenders and persons required to register under Section 290 who violate the law or conditions of probation or parole. (b) Target and monitor chronic repeat violent sex offenders before the commission of additional sexual offenses. (c) Develop profiles in unsolved sexual assault cases.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 13885.2. Section 13885.2.

The Attorney General, subject to the availability of funds, shall establish in the Department of Justice the High Risk Sex Offender Program, which is hereby created, which shall receive the Facts of Offense Sheets, pursuant to Section 1203e. The program shall use the scores of sex offenders reported on the Facts of Offense Sheets for the purpose of identifying, assessing, monitoring, and containing those sex offenders at a high risk of reoffending. This shall be a statewide program. It is the intent of the Legislature that this statewide program shall not affect the operation of the Serious Habitual Offender Program authorized by Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 13890) involving the Counties of San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa, Sonoma, Solano, and Marin which shall become inoperative on July 1, 1994.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 13885.4. Section 13885.4.

As used in this chapter, “high risk sex offenders” means those persons who are required to register as sex offenders pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration Act and who have been assessed with a score indicating a “high risk” on the SARATSO identified for that person’s specific population as set forth in Section 290.04, or who are identified as being at a high risk of reoffending by the Department of Justice, based on the person’s SARATSO score when considered in combination with other, empirically based risk factors.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 13885.6. Section 13885.6.

The Department of Justice shall establish and maintain a comprehensive file of existing information maintained by law enforcement agencies, probation departments, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the State Department of State Hospitals, the Department of Motor Vehicles, and the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice may request the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the State Department of State Hospitals, the Department of Motor Vehicles, law enforcement agencies, and probation departments to provide existing information from their files regarding persons identified by the Department of Justice as high risk sex offenders pursuant to Section 13885.4. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the State Department of State Hospitals, the Department of Motor Vehicles, law enforcement agencies, and probation departments, when requested by the Department of Justice, shall provide copies of existing information maintained in their files regarding persons identified by the Department of Justice as high risk sex offenders and shall provide followup information to the Department of Justice as it becomes available, unless otherwise prohibited by federal law. This information shall include, but is not limited to, criminal histories, Facts of Offense Sheets, sex offender registration records, police reports, probation and presentencing reports, judicial records and case files, juvenile records, psychological evaluations and psychological hospital reports, and sexually violent predator treatment program reports. This information shall also include records that have been sealed. This information shall be provided to the Department of Justice in a manner and format jointly approved by the submitting department and the Department of Justice. This high risk sex offender file shall be maintained by the Department of Justice High Risk Sex Offender Program and shall contain a complete physical description and method of operation of the high risk sex offender, information describing his or her interaction with criminal justice agencies, and his or her prior criminal record. The Department of Justice also shall prepare a bulletin on each high risk sex offender for distribution to law enforcement agencies.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 13885.8. Section 13885.8.

The Department of Justice shall electronically provide a bulletin on each high risk sex offender to law enforcement agencies via the California Sex Offender Registry database and the California Law Enforcement Web (CLEW). Upon request, the department shall provide the complete file of information on a high risk sex offender to law enforcement agencies, district attorneys, and the courts for the purpose of identifying, apprehending, prosecuting, and sentencing high risk sex offenders.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 13885.15. Section 13885.15.

(a) The special agent teams established pursuant to Section 13885.1 shall also take a proactive role in the investigation and prosecution of preferential child molesters and sexual exploiters. (b) For purposes of this section, “preferential child molester” means a person whose primary sex drive is directed toward children. A preferential child molester is distinguished from a situational child molester, who will use children sexually in times of stress because of a lack of impulse control or as a result of circumstances.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026