Sex parolees must hide on Halloween

[ohiosmith]

By John Simerman
TIMES STAFF

Article Launched: 10/30/2007 05:58:38 PM PDT

No faux spider webs. No scary pumpkin. No lights, candy or interaction.
That's the message the state is sending to paroled sex offenders with "Operation Boo," a Halloween night clampdown aimed at easing parental minds by removing any hint for children to ring the wrong doorbell.

Sex offenders must stay home and may not show any sign of being there.

Under special Halloween conditions, sex offender parolees must stay indoors from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m., keep their exterior lights off and answer the door only to law enforcement agents.

State parole officers and police will be out in force tonight to ensure that the sex offenders follow the rules, officials say. A violation could land them back in prison for violating their parole terms, said Bill Sessa, spokesman for the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

"Their homes must look like there's literally no one at home," he said.

Such "Halloween Rules" are part of a long roster of conditions for all paroled sex offenders, said Sessa. The Fright Night visits from officers began a few years ago, he said.

"Sex offenders must comply with the longest list of special conditions of parole out of any group that we have," said Sessa. "It's not new."

[Pierre.Suave]

1. Thats dumb

are they supposed to sit in a dark house with no lights on?

[ohiosmith]

3. yes

[Pierre.Suave]

4. Sweet

they get to test their new night vision goggles.

[qanda]

2. What about the ones that haven't been caught yet?

Stupid rule. People should know better than to have their children show up at a stranger's house to ask for candy.

[Pierre.Suave]

5. YEAH

what dumbass thought that was a good idea...

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

6. Maybe people should stop being paranoid and stupid?

Nah, that makes too much sense.

[johnnie]

7. Well, after this

"Police in Perry Township are investigating a case in which two young girls were approached by a stranger while trick-or-treating The community held its trick-or-treating on Sunday. The girls said that a stranger offered them a bag of candy with a label that included a name, phone number and address.The name on the bag is that of a man convicted of a sex offense with a minor in 1982, and police are trying to determine if the man with the bag of candy is the same person.Perry Police Chief Tim Escola said the man offered the girls the candy, telling them to call or come over some time to hang out.Escola said the girls were able to help police with a general description of the suspect: a white man in his mid-40s, 5 feet 9 inches tall with a heavy build, brown hair and hazel eyes.Police are trying to determine if any other children were approached by the man.Anyone with information should contact the Perry Township Police Department in Stark County.You can also get sex offender information for Ohio, here.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/wews/20071031/lo_wews/14464017;_ylt=Ai1qcjbFjuHdMcgRMs6tsQ4E1vAI

It *is* a bit sick.

[Heidi]

8. Why were "two young girls" out trick-or-treating without adult supervision?

Maybe my parents were strict, but we weren't allowed to go further than my mom's line of vision when we went trick-or-treating. She stayed just far enough away to not embarrass us, but close enough to raise hell if we bothered anyone or if anyone bothered us. :hi: