REPORT: Sex offender registry lacks info on more than 1,700

BOSTON — A state audit has found that the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry has lost track of more than 1,700 convicted sex offenders.

The report released Wednesday by Auditor Suzanne Bump found that the registry lacks adequate policies and procedures to ensure sex offenders are "classified in a timely manner."

The Democratic Bump says the audit found that as of February, the registry lacked current addresses for 1,769 sex offenders. Out of that total, 936 had never been classified at all. More than 300 of those individuals had been convicted of crimes against children.

In a response to the audit, registry officials said they were hampered by laws and regulations that govern the agency's classification process.

The registry had records on nearly 22,000 convicted sex offenders at the time of the audit.

You can find more information about sex offenders and the registry here.

25 INVESTIGATES COVERAGE

MORE: Hundreds of 'very dangerous sex offenders' removed from registry

MORE: FOX25 Investigates: 6 Level 3 sex offenders living in same Lynn home

MORE: 25 Investigates: Prosecutors didn't try to hold fugitive sex offender

Associated Press