SCOTT COUNTY, Ind. (WDRB) — Law enforcement officials in southern Indiana are reminding registered sex offenders to keep their porch lights off and stay inside on Halloween night.
Scott County Sheriff Jerry Goodin said while deputies can’t legally stop sex offenders from attending Halloween events, they strongly encourage them to stay away.
“I'm just going to be honest with you — we can’t come to a sex offender and say, ‘You better not come to the trunk-or-treats or anything like that,’” Goodin said. “But we do tell them it’s probably not a good idea.”
There are 76 registered sex offenders in Scott County, Indiana. Their names, addresses, and restrictions are publicly available online for anyone with an internet connection.
Goodin said the recommendation isn’t just to protect children — it’s also to protect the offenders themselves.
“Of course, we can't by law tell them they can't come,” he said. “But we tell them it’s probably a good idea to just stay away. And that’s for their safety too — not just for the kids’ safety.”
In Kentucky, a Lexington lawmaker is proposing legislation that would restrict registered sex offenders from attending trick-or-treat events or costume parties two weeks before and after Halloween.
With online tools, it only takes seconds to check whether sex offenders live in your neighborhood — a safety reminder that becomes especially important during Halloween.
“We make sure we know where they're all at, all the time,” Goodin said. “So whenever we give them tips or suggestions, it’s just to make life easier — and again, it’s for their safety too.”
Indiana does require some sex offenders to attend an educational meeting on Halloween, a program started 15 years ago by the Indiana Department of Corrections, but it is not require for all sex offenders.
Still, officials said the best defense is staying with your kids in a neighborhood that you know well.
To look up sex offenders in Indiana, click here. For Kentucky, click here.
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