Scores of sex offenders in Anderson, South Carolina, will be corralled for Halloween tonight in a move authorities say is needed to keep kids safe as they trick or treat.
Keeping trick or treaters safe from sex offenders is a priority for many law enforcement officials on Halloween.
"At 5 p.m., we are going to require all of our probation/parole/pardon sex offenders to report to the office and they'll remain here from 5 to 10:30 p.m," agent Gerald Black, with the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon, told CNN affiliate WYFF.
Authorities in Roanoke, Virginia, will do the same. "You have a safer public. We have all the offenders in this area that are on probation or parole in one location. We know where they are," Randy Phillips with the Department of Corrections told CNN affiliate WSLS.
While there's a debate about the need for restrictions and authorities aren't imposing such stringent restrictions everywhere, special limits on sex offenders for the evening are widespread.
"Our agents will be out in force, checking on sex offenders, to ensure that they stay behind locked doors, in dark houses, with absolutely no contact with 'trick-or-treaters' on Halloween night," said Tom Hoffman, California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation director of parole.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/10/31/hal...ers/index.html
