Dustin’s Law Notification

What is Dustin’s Law:

Penal Code section 3058.65 specifies if an offender is in prison serving a term for the conviction of child abuse, any sex offense specified as being perpetrated against a minor or an act of domestic violence, then the offender’s parents, siblings, and/or spouse may request notification of release. The notification will include the offender’s name, the terms of that person’s parole, whether or not that person is required to register with local law enforcement, and the community in which that person will reside. These notifications will be made at least 60 days in advance except in instances of an unanticipated release date change such as an order by a court or an action by the Board of Parole Hearings. In those cases notification will be made as soon as practicable.

Criteria

You must meet the criteria for both section 1 and 2 below:

1. You must be related to the offender in one of the following ways:
   • Parent of offender
   • Sibling of offender
   • Spouse of offender
   *Note: if you are not related to the offender in one of the categories above, but are also related to the victim of the crime, you may qualify for notification as a victim’s family member. Learn More.
2. The offender you are trying to register for must be incarcerated for a conviction of one of the crime categories below:
   • Child abuse (pursuant to section 273a, 273ab, or 273d of the California Penal Code)
   • Any sex offense specified as being perpetrated against a minor
   • An act of domestic violence

History

In 1998, 4-year-old Dustin’s father was on parole after serving time for child abuse against his eldest son. On November 23, 1998, after refusing to pick up his toys, Dustin was murdered by his father. Dustin’s grandfather led the effort to pass Senate Bill 1343, “Dustin’s Law”, which became effective January 1, 2001. The law was designed to protect children from convicted abusers by notifying immediate family members and county child welfare services agencies of an offender’s upcoming release from prison.

How to Register

If you meet the criteria for both 1 and 2 listed above you can receive notification by completing the online registration request form.

Your application for notification will be reviewed by the Office of Victim and Survivor Rights and Services (OVSRS) and you will receive confirmation as to whether your request was approved or denied. Please allow ten (10) business days for your request to be reviewed. You are responsible for keeping your contact information current so that you can receive notification information. Once registered, you can update your address information by calling 1-877-256-6877, by emailing victimservices@cdcr.ca.gov, or by writing to the address below.

CDCR – OVSRS
P.O. Box 942883
Sacramento, CA 94283

If you are unsure if you qualify, or have further questions, please contact OVSRS.