Before the kids head out trick-or-treating tonight, parents should check their county’s online sex offender registry.
The registry includes the names, photos, and addresses of convicted sex offenders. It also links to more detailed information, including their physical description and offenses.
The Habersham County Sheriff’s Office shared a link to its sex offender registry on Facebook. Currently, there are 89 names on it.
The registry is public and available for viewing year-round on the Internet.
HCOS spokesperson Lt. Matthew Wurtz says parents should “check our website for the sex offenders that are registered in our county and avoid those addresses.”
Habersham County Sex Offender Registry
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation maintains the statewide sex offender registry which currently has 23,142 names on it.
Federal law requires states to track and monitor convicted sex offenders. Sex offenders in Georgia must register in person with the sheriff of the county where they live within 72 hours of their release into the community.
No “no trick-or-treat” signs allowed
A federal judge this week blocked a South Georgia sheriff from placing “no trick-or-treat” signs in sex offenders’ yards. Federal District Judge Marc T. Treadwell ruled the signs are unconstitutional. He issued a preliminary injunction against the Butts County Sheriff’s Office preventing the use of the signs.
The ruling comes after three registered sex offenders sued Butts County Sheriff Gary Long to stop the practice, which began last year. The lawsuit itself, which seeks unspecified damages for the three men, is still pending.
