Florida Statutes distinguish between the designation of, and the registration requirements for, a "sexual offender" and "sexual predator". (See Section 943.0435, Florida Statutes, which provides the definition of and registration requirements for sexual offenders. See Section 775.21, Florida Statutes, which provides the definition of and registration requirements for sexual predators.) Action News will report on both predators and offenders under this story line but will identify the person as either a predator or an offender as designated by law enforcement records.
For an explanation of the difference between an offender and a predator under Florida law go to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement website at: http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us and click on "Frequently Asked Questions".
