The Code of Virginia requires the Department of State Police to maintain a Registry of Violent Sex Offenders apart from all other records maintained by the department. The purpose of the registry is to assist the effort of law-enforcement agencies and others to protect their communities from violent sex offenders and to protect children from becoming victims of such offenders by helping to prevent such individuals from being allowed to work directly with children (Code of Virginia, §9.1-900).

The Department of State Police provides an internet site through which one can search the Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry for Violent Sex Offenders. The main purpose for putting this data on the internet is to make this information public, not to warn about any specific individual.

The registry contains only information about those who have registered. It is possible that a person who is required to register in Virginia has not done so. The crimes listed as barrier crimes for child welfare agencies in §63.2-1719 of the Code of Virginia include the crimes identified in §63.2-1727 as sex offenses. The required criminal history record check report required of regulated child care facilities will list all such convictions that occurred in Virginia.