Parents Should Check Sex Offender Registry Before Halloween Trick or Treat

10-9-2014 New Jersey:

TOMS RIVER-Halloween is coming to Ocean County and children will eagerly go door to door, knocking for tricks and treats, but as parents, we may not know who or what lies beyond those doors.

Luckily in the digital age, parents can research and prepare prior to the big night.

While the best course of action is to participate in the affair with your children, not everyone does, but you can offer your unchaperoned teens and tweens a list of houses to avoid thanks to Megan’s Law and the Sex Offender Registry.

The Ocean County Board of Freeholders agree. In a statement today, the board stated, “It’s important to know what dangers a child may encounter when they are alone and out of the house. It’s also essential that they learn to avoid strangers and how to react if they are approached by an adult they do not know.”

The database lists up-to-date information on all convicted sex offenders who are residents of the Garden State.

Towns, counties, zip codes and even individual streets can be easily reviewed.

More advanced checks allow users to input the names of convicted sex offenders or check only newer records.

“This only takes a few minutes and can make a big difference in keeping a child safe,” Vicari said.

Vicari also suggested periodically checking the Megan’s Law database throughout the year. ..Source.. by Phil Stilton