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Sex offenders get signs for Halloween
Categories: Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, Teens & tweens, Fun & Activities, Holidays, Health & Safety, In The News
One year on Halloween, we ran out of candy well before the trick-or-treaters were finished for the night. In an attempt to dissuade them from knocking on our door, we turned the porch light off. When that failed to stop them, we put a sign on the door reading "sorry, no more candy". That didn't work, either. Based on that experience, I am somewhat doubtful that Maryland's plan to keep children away from sex offenders on Halloween will be successful.
Maryland's Division of Parole and Probation has mailed letters and signs to sex offenders. The signs feature a pumpkin and the words "No Candy at This Residence". The accompanying letter reads, in part, "Halloween provides a rare opportunity for you to demonstrate to your neighbors that you are making a sincere effort to change the direction of your life." It goes on to instruct the recipients to post the sign, stay indoors, turn off their porch lights and refrain from answering the door on Halloween.
I think any effort to keep sex offenders and children away from each other is worth a try. But I can tell you that I already know where the registered sex offenders in my area live. I checked my state's online registry before we made an offer on our house and will check back periodically to see if there are any changes. Do you keep up with your state's sex offender registry?
Maryland's Division of Parole and Probation has mailed letters and signs to sex offenders. The signs feature a pumpkin and the words "No Candy at This Residence". The accompanying letter reads, in part, "Halloween provides a rare opportunity for you to demonstrate to your neighbors that you are making a sincere effort to change the direction of your life." It goes on to instruct the recipients to post the sign, stay indoors, turn off their porch lights and refrain from answering the door on Halloween.
I think any effort to keep sex offenders and children away from each other is worth a try. But I can tell you that I already know where the registered sex offenders in my area live. I checked my state's online registry before we made an offer on our house and will check back periodically to see if there are any changes. Do you keep up with your state's sex offender registry?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
ame s 10-20-2008 @ 4:56PM
When I moved to my current neighborhood 9 years ago, it was still under construction so the registry wouldn't have helped in my case.
My brother sent me a link to a site last year where you type in your address and a map pops up with "balloons" to indicate the address, name and charge of the offender.
I was a bit shocked at how many "balloons" popped up less than a mile of some of our elementary schools. Offenders ranged from molestation and rape of children under 10 to men who were convicted of having sex with a 17 year old when the man was 18.
Yes, there are signs at all entrances of our schools saying visitors must report to the office, and there are several cameras around the campuses, but I've been to my younger child's school often enough to notice that no one pays attention to the monitors in the office. I am at school quite often, and can't count the number of times a door, inside the main building and in the out buildings, that the class room door is opened by a student when I knock. They are not checking to see if I have a visitor's badge.
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Molly 10-20-2008 @ 9:48PM
I've visited the website you are referring to. It is not valid. I am familiar with the families in my neighborhood and that website referenced last names that do not, and never did, reside in the homes with those pop-up balloons.
Sunny 10-20-2008 @ 11:14PM
From the National Center of Missing & Exploited Children:
Every year in America an estimated 800,000 children are reported missing, more than 2,000 children each day. Of that number, 200,000 are abducted by family members, and 58,000 are abducted by non-family members. The primary motive for non-family abductions is sexual. Each year 115 children are the victims of the most serious abductions, taken by non-family members and either murdered, held for ransom, or taken with the intent to keep.
Did you read that? 58,000 children are abducted by non family members a year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The threat is REAL. These laws are not for people to cry they are unfair but rather to help YOU protect your children!
J 10-21-2008 @ 3:59AM
You don't find the 18 and 17 yr old to be nuts do you just the raper?
SKL 10-20-2008 @ 7:13PM
In my state, you can sign up for an e-mail notification whenever a registered sex offender moves within a set distance of your home. I signed up to be notified of anyone within a mile. So far, there has only been one guy, and he's a few blocks away. I feel a lot better having this information.
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Robert 10-20-2008 @ 8:27PM
I have been in Law Enforcement for more than 32 years, and most sex offenders, according to court records do not go near or in schools to molest children, (of course some do), we need laws to protect our children, but being within a mile of a school is not going to help a whole lot. Most child molestors are people that the child and the parents know, usually a relative. As far as the guy that posted that an 18 year old had sex with a 17 year old, you didn't clarify that. You do know that he may have turned 18 that day, been going with her for say 2 years and she will turn 18 the next day. You see, sometimes the sexual pedator laws are stupid, that takes us away from real sex crimes. If he raped her, that is different. Also rape is different than child rape and mosletation. I have also found as you should have, when we over emphasize to tell children not to do something, that makes them more interested in the "NO, NO". I never "HID" my firearms from my children, and when the had a question, I told them, and then would take them out to the firing range. To this day they have no interest in firearms. I have more, but AOL limits my podium.
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Uly 10-20-2008 @ 9:44PM
"Most child molestors are people that the child and the parents know, usually a relative."
You can keep saying it and saying it and saying it, and people will still rather be scared of the minuscule risk of a stranger abduction, of stranger danger, than take a real look at the *real* risks in their child's life.
There's something like, what, 300 cases of stranger abductions a year? And a good half of them end with the child returned home alive? (Don't get me started on how many random candy poisonings there've been in the past 30 years, as the answer is approximately NONE.)
SKW 10-20-2008 @ 9:28PM
My family raised me the same way around alcohol. They would drink in front of us but never more than one beer or one glass of wine, never getting drunk. My brother and I would ask for a sip and we'd get it, think it was disgusting and go back to our ice tea. Now he's 23 and I'm 21 and we still don't drink more than half a beer.
Barb Johnson 10-20-2008 @ 8:30PM
Why not put up a sign that says NO CANDY SEX OFFENDER LIVES HERE ??
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Dee 10-20-2008 @ 8:47PM
Why do that Barb. Some people do change, and although they may have to be registered with the state, still doesn't mean a person can't change. I'm quite sure there are some things in your life, you may have been ashamed of, that you don't do anymore. The signs, the way they are, are good enough.
mickey ventura 10-20-2008 @ 9:19PM
NOT A GOOD IDEA ALL YOU WILL HAVE ALL NIGHT IS SEX OFFENDERS WITH A SWEET TOOTH
Joy 10-21-2008 @ 4:28AM
In Reply to DEE Sex Offenders DO NOT change. There is always an urge there to repeat this act again. It is a proven fact that within 5 years of being convicted a sex offender will offend again.
Maybe they should get a place on halloween and require all registered sex offenders to be there at a required time and stay until a required time...if they don't show they get locked up.Plain and Simple
bzh484 10-20-2008 @ 8:40PM
The ACLU thinks we are discriminating against sex offenders.
Lawyers will do anything for money.
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|-|4XX0RZ 10-20-2008 @ 8:51PM
lol yea...
sue 10-20-2008 @ 8:43PM
Actually the ACLU believes that government can best decide how to raise your child. I just watched a DVD called "ACLU:At war with America" It is all true. They are chipping away at religion, Christmans,they have no problem with child porn,They are a disgusting group and any time you see them involved, you can count on your rights being slowly taken away.
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acy 10-20-2008 @ 8:45PM
you know some are on that list due to take a plea bargain or go in front of a jury. Not all people trust our courts and I can not blame them. I know people that should be on there and never will be. Now can you tell me why???
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Rita 10-20-2008 @ 8:58PM
No body is handing out candy anymore. Popcorn
Indiana is the latest, greatest and can't be beat!!! Yummy!!!
Go Popcorn Indiana!
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BLUECHEESE 10-20-2008 @ 8:59PM
Whats The Name Of The Website?
And Parents Should Sit Down And Talk With The Kids Who Go Trick Or Treating With Friends To Watch Out For This Sign
And
Police Are Patroling
The Neighorhood
Starting 6 PM
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Raejean French 10-20-2008 @ 9:05PM
I found out when my youngest daughter was in her mid-teens that we'd literally had a sex offender living across the street and another around the corner from us for years (the actual offenses placing them in the registry were more recent). She had to pass the one house twice daily on the way to her school bus stop.
But I had taught her early about these things, including reacting to slowing cars and "wrong" phone numbers and unexpected visitors at the door. And she NEVER went trick or treating without a parent.
I just never wanted to see her victim photo on "America's Most Wanted."
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Wanda 10-20-2008 @ 9:12PM
sue,
You should be seriously ashamed of yourself for trying to link Sen.Obama and sex offenders! No one,Dem. Or Rep. is defending sex offenders, especially child molesters! May God forgive you for your evil,filthy mind and your willingness to spread ignorance and stupidity.
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