MO- As Halloween Nears, Judge Calls Part of Sex Offender Law 'Unenforceable'

Thats correct, the STATE law requires a sign to be posted, but the law doesn't say what size the sign must be, I guess as long as it can be read when someone gets to the door, that meets with the law. Great, where are those sticky pads? Hopefully no one will remove it as a TRICK because they cannot get a TREAT...

10-29-2008 Missouri:

INDEPENDENCE, MO. -- With just days left before Halloween, a federal judge has ruled that a new Missouri law targeting registered sex offenders is unenforceable.

The new state law called for registered sex offenders to have their porch lights out and a sign out saying that they're not giving away candy on Halloween. In addition, the law called for sex offenders to be inside their homes and have no "Halloween-Related Contact" with kids from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on October 31st.

A judge ruled that aspect of the law, requiring sex offenders to be home at that time, is simply too difficult to enforce, a ruling that police and child advocates understand.

"If they're working, if they have places to be," said child advocate Jeanette Issa. "The point is that they shouldn't be planning to entice kids with candy, and that's the biggest concern."

Laws aside, experts say there's an easy way to make sure your kids will be safe trick-or-treating on Friday - go along with them.

"Make sure you trick or treat with your kids," said Issa. "And everybody thinks 'gee, I'm a teenager, I don't need any protection.' You know, teenagers end up in the news all the time as we all know. So there's safety in numbers, but it's really good to have an adult around."

Independence Police say they will be out in neighborhoods on Halloween night. They won't be checking to see if registered sex offenders are home, but they will be checking to see if the porch lights are out and the signs are up.

"We're going to take the sex offender list, and we'll go by and make sure that they're complying with the state law," said Sgt. Chris Garcia of the Independence Police Department. ..News Source.. by FOX 4 Kansas City