Check this map before trick-or-treating to avoid homes of sex-offenders in your neighborhood
LOS ANGELES - As Halloween approaches, there are many resources for parents to keep their kids safe as they prepare to go out trick or treating.
Every year around this time, rumors start to swell about bad actors giving out candy laced with drugs, or filled with dangerous objects. Trick or treating also involves young children going door-to-door, in potentially unfamiliar neighborhoods, which can make any parent uneasy.
There are more than 60,000 registered sex offenders in the state of California, and more than 14,000 in Los Angeles County. But there are systems in place to help keep children safe while out trick or treating.
In the state of California, registered sex offenders have to adhere to a special set of rules on Halloween, as part of an initiative called "Operation Boo." Under Operation Boo, sex offenders must:
- Stay inside from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Only open the door for law enforcement
- Turn off all exterior lights on their home, to make it look like no one's home
- Not have any Halloween decorations on their home
- Not offer any Halloween candy
For parents who are still concerned about where they should allow their children to trick or treat, there's a free, publicly available state website, that allows people to search for registered sex offenders in their area.
The California Megan's Law website lets people search by address or even by county, to find sex offenders near them. The results can show you, in map or list form, the names pictures and address of known offenders, among other information. That website can be accessed here.
Megan's Law was enacted in California in 1996. The law is named after seven-year-old Megan Kanka, who was raped and killed by a known child molester who had moved across the street from the family without their knowledge. Megan's Law requires the state Department of Justice to alert the public about registered offenders.
The state's Megan's Law map is a tool that parents can use to help map out their trick-or-treating route. But, with initiatives like Operation Boo, the California Department of Corrections says that instances of sexual assault and abductions on Halloween in California have "not been prevalent."
The CDOC also points out that in 80% of sexual assaults of people 12 and older, the victims know the offender. The state's "Operation Boo Parents' Guide" is attached below.
The Los Angeles Police Department also has a list of tips for parents and kids to stay safe on Halloween. They recommend that kids don't go trick or treating at night, only the daylight hours; and that they don't wear masks with their costumes if they impair the child's vision. They also recommend parents inspect their children's candy, that they remind kids not to accept rides from strangers, and not go into anyone's home while trick or treating.
The LAPD's full list can be found here.