Tips to Check If There Sex Offenders In Your Neighborhood

When it comes to the safety of your children, no precautionary measure is too much. And one of the most important things you should do as a parent is researching sex offenders in your neighborhood, especially if you’re preparing for Halloween or you’ve just moved into a new home. You never know who your child will meet on the streets, so it’s vital that you know who your neighbors are. Here are five expert-recommended tips to check if there are any sex offenders in your neighborhood.

1. Use the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW)

The NSOPW is an invaluable resource for parents, given that it can provide you with access to sex offender data nationwide. Users can lookup sex offenders in pretty much any jurisdiction across the United States. The platform also has numerous search options; it allows users to search by name, zip code, address, city or town, and even county. So, if you recently relocated to a new town or city, make sure to use the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website to find out if there are any sex offenders living nearby. 

2. Check the local registry

All states in the United States maintain their own registry. For instance, if you live in California, you can check the California Megan’s Law Website. Similarly, in Seattle, you can access this data by navigating to the FBI’s website and checking the individual state registries on it. You could also access this data via the police department or local sheriff’s office. However, keep in mind that some sex offenders neglect to sign up on these registries when they’re supposed to. 

3. Ensure you and your children practice other forms of safety as well

Although online registries are important, they can give parents a false sense of safety. The unfortunate truth is that a number of sex offenders have never been convicted or prosecuted. In fact, many offenders have simply never had a run-in with the law. This is why it’s important to always stay vigilant. And, talk to your children and other young adults in your family about staying safe and setting healthy boundaries with people in the family and strangers. Encourage them to come to you if someone makes them feel uncomfortable. 

4. Do a reverse lookup

Offenders often don’t register. When this happens, their case is usually sent to a prosecutor to file a failure to register charge. But it can take many months (and sometimes even years) before such people are apprehended. While it can be challenging to find a sex offender who isn’t registered, you can do a reverse check if you suspect someone. To do this, visit a reputable online background check website and enter whatever information you know about them. In these cases, the more data you have about the person you’re searching for, the easier it will be for you to find information about them. 

5. Keep an eye on local publications

Since Halloween is one time of the year when kids tend to knock on strangers’ doors, many local publications share safe trick-or-treating. These maps often take the locations of known sex offenders into account. So, be sure to check any publications that may be released before a major holiday. It’s also a good idea to attend community meetings, where such information about sex offenders and how they are likely to be supervised in the community are discussed at length.