Scared Monkeys Discussion Forum

Current Events and Musings => News of the Day => Topic started by: KittyMom on October 25, 2011, 09:54:24 PM



Title: Sex offenders to report to Sheriff's Office for Halloween
Post by: KittyMom on October 25, 2011, 09:54:24 PM
http://www.wtoc.com/story/15874231/sex-offenders-required-to-report-to-effingham-co-sheriffs-office-on-halloween

This works in a small county in my area.  I wonder how many other places have a similar program?


Title: Re: Sex offenders to report to Sheriff's Office for Halloween
Post by: Aurelia7 on October 27, 2011, 01:48:59 AM
What a great idea!  It's refreshing to see that LE is protecting children in such a proactive manner.

Question:  Do the offenders simply report during those hours and leave or are they required to stay there entirely during those hours?


Title: Re: Sex offenders to report to Sheriff's Office for Halloween
Post by: MuffyBee on October 27, 2011, 09:06:44 AM
http://www.wtoc.com/story/15874231/sex-offenders-required-to-report-to-effingham-co-sheriffs-office-on-halloween

This works in a small county in my area.  I wonder how many other places have a similar program?

I did a quick search on the web, and it looks like there are quite a number of places that are concerned with sex offenders and Halloween. 
There are varying programs.  Here are just a few:

http://www.kolotv.com/home/headlines/Division_of_Parole_and_Probation_132651538.html?storySection=comments
Local Sex Offenders Monitored on Halloween in Operation Scarecrow
Officers from the Nevada Department of Public Safety – Division of Parole and Probation (DPS/NPP), in an effort to provide enhanced safety for children who may be targeted by sexual predators during the holiday, will conduct the 7th annual Halloween Operation: Scarecrow.

http://**/news/ci_19146055
Halloween lights out for sex offenders
October 19, 2011

RIVERSIDE, Calif.—It's Halloween lights out for registered sex offenders in a Southern California county.

Riverside County supervisors voted unanimously on Tuesday to bar sex offenders from decorating their homes and leaving lights on during Halloween night. They also cannot answer their door to pass out candy to children.

Offenders face a possible $1,000 fine and six months in jail.

The Riverside Press-Enterprise ( http://bit.ly/nTe7QP) says the measure amends an existing ordinance that restricts where registered sex offenders can live and gather.

The additions related to Halloween activity take effect immediately.
 ::snipping2::

http://www.uticaod.com/m/news/x1007222824/Sex-offenders-again-asked-to-post-No-Candy-signs-on-Halloween
Sex offenders again asked to post "No Candy" signs on Halloween
October 25, 2011
(http://www.uticaod.com/archive/x1606481534/g12c000000000000000e36844210fb01d8bc305238a5b8414c169ecd1a1.jpg)
UTICA —

 

The Utica Police Department's Sex Offender unit has distributed flyers to the 90 Level 3 sex offenders living within the city's borders.

The offenders are asked to display the poster in their window and to not hand out candy on Halloween.

Trick-or-treaters should be mindful of flyers and should avoid residences where they are posted.
 ::snipping2::


Title: Re: Sex offenders to report to Sheriff's Office for Halloween
Post by: KittyMom on October 27, 2011, 09:37:24 AM
What a great idea!  It's refreshing to see that LE is protecting children in such a proactive manner.

Question:  Do the offenders simply report during those hours and leave or are they required to stay there entirely during those hours?
Just listening to the local news reports, I got the impression that the SO's will be required to be there for the entire time listed.  I could be wrong.


Title: Re: Sex offenders to report to Sheriff's Office for Halloween
Post by: KittyMom on October 27, 2011, 09:41:30 AM
http://www.wtvm.com/story/15883769/russellcountysexoffenders

Sex offenders won't be handing out candy on Halloween

Quote
Right now, 150 registered sex offenders live in Russell County and instead of handing out candy to children on Halloween night, they will be gathered together to learn about sex offender registry with the sheriff's office. 

This is on the other side of the state along the Ala border.  I'm guessing that there are different programs for this depending on whether the SO is on probation and what type of jurisdiction (control) LE has over the SO.  I know of a couple of larger towns that have required SO's to post signs on their doors.


Title: Re: Sex offenders to report to Sheriff's Office for Halloween
Post by: MuffyBee on October 27, 2011, 09:43:12 AM

http://www.myfoxaustin.com/
Officials To Visit High Risk Sex Offenders on Halloween
October 26, 2011

The Travis County Probation Office along with Special APD Officers will be going door to door checking on high risk sex offenders starting Monday night.

There are more than 400 sex offenders in the Austin area.

Due to the fact that authorities can not keep an eye on every offender, Officers will check on 38 high risk sex offenders, according to Gregory Jackson of the Travis County Probation Office.

These particular sex offenders have special provisions in their probation that includes a safety zone requirement.


"They're looking to make sure that the lights are out and the person is not participating in Halloween. The person is not handing out candy, and once they discover the lights are out, they will go ahead an initiate contact to make sure that the person is at home because the requirement is that the person has to be at home, with their lights off," said Jackson.

 ::snipping2::





Title: Re: Sex offenders to report to Sheriff's Office for Halloween
Post by: KittyMom on October 27, 2011, 09:43:24 AM
Thanks, Muffy.  I see you posted a sign above.  I hope parents are smart enough to go online and look up addresses for SO's before they take their kids out. 


Title: Re: Sex offenders to report to Sheriff's Office for Halloween
Post by: MuffyBee on October 27, 2011, 10:01:12 AM
Thanks, Muffy.  I see you posted a sign above.  I hope parents are smart enough to go online and look up addresses for SO's before they take their kids out. 

I agree about the parents checking online to look up addresses.  There are apps now to find SO's.  I'm seeing more and more people these days taking their children to Halloween parties that are sponsored by youth groups, civic groups or sometimes churches and etc.  instead of going house to house.

I've seen some place doing "Trunk or Treat"
http://trunkortreat.homestead.com/

A Trunk or Treat is a Halloween event that is often church- or community-sponsored. People gather and park their cars in a large parking lot. They open their trunks, or the backs of their vehicles, and decorate them. Then they pass out candy from their trunks. The event provides a safe family environment for trick or treaters.

When it comes to decorating your vehicle there are the obvious choices, like decorating for Halloween, using pumpkins, spider webbing, spiders, brooms, bats, cauldrons, scary stuff...

NOTE: Some church-sponsored trunk or treat events ask that participants not use scary items, like blood, bats, witches, spiders, monsters, or gore. It's a good idea anyway because so many of your trick or treaters will be preschoolers and toddlers.
 ::snipping2::
Photos at Link   ::MonkeyWitch1::


Title: Re: Sex offenders to report to Sheriff's Office for Halloween
Post by: KittyMom on October 27, 2011, 10:03:36 AM
One local nursing home here is having trick or treat and letting the residents give out candy as the kids walk through.  Of course, it's earlier in the evening but I like the idea of having the elderly involved.  Both age groups benefit!


Title: Re: Sex offenders to report to Sheriff's Office for Halloween
Post by: MuffyBee on October 27, 2011, 10:39:16 AM
One local nursing home here is having trick or treat and letting the residents give out candy as the kids walk through.  Of course, it's earlier in the evening but I like the idea of having the elderly involved.  Both age groups benefit!

(http://bestsmileys.com/thumbs/2.gif)  ::bee::



Title: Re: Sex offenders to report to Sheriff's Office for Halloween
Post by: MuffyBee on October 28, 2011, 04:43:36 PM
 ::MonkeyEek::

http://www.kvue.com/news/132787683.html
Some sex offenders allowed to participate in trick-or-treat activities
October 28, 2011

OUSTON – Halloween is supposed to be all about fun for kids, but as it turns out, there are sex offenders out there who are allowed to participate in trick-or-treat activities – and it’s not a loophole.

It may come as a shock to parents, but the fact is, there are some sex offenders who – once they complete the terms of their probation and parole – can decorate their homes and hand out treats to children.

Harris County Precinct 6 and Precinct 7 constables wanted to get the word out to parents Thursday, so families can protect their kids.

As always, the constables will be keeping an eye on all the sex offenders – even the ones who are done with their probation and parole – this Halloween.

Instead of having six officers on patrol, they will have 20 on the streets come October 31.
 ::snipping2::
Parents can also pull up a map showing the addresses of every registered sex offender in their area at the Texas Department of Public Safety’s website. Link:  https://records.txdps.state.tx.us/DPS_WEB/SorNew/index.aspx

And experts say, as always, parents should accompany their children – even the older ones – when they go trick-or-treating.


Title: Re: Sex offenders to report to Sheriff's Office for Halloween
Post by: MuffyBee on November 09, 2011, 08:33:25 AM
I wonder how many other SO's were arrested for violations on Halloween in other areas? 

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/six-sex-offenders-arrested-on-halloween
Six sex offenders arrested on Halloween
Operation Safe Halloween catches parole violators

November 8, 2011

Six previously convicted sex offenders were arrested across Texas on Halloween night for violating parole restrictions.

All six arrests were part of Operation Safe Halloween, a joint initiative between the Texas Attorney General's Fugitive Unit and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Parole Division that targets previously convicted sex offenders who are subject to special parole conditions on Halloween night.
(Names and photos at link)