Raleigh, North Carolina — Every year as Halloween approaches, many Patch media outlets, as well as others, publish articles featuring “red-dot” maps showing addresses, and sometimes names, of persons listed on sexual offense registries. Within the last few years, this practice has been adopted by some local police departments on their Facebook pages. According to the editors and publishers of such pieces, this is done in order to help protect children who will be trick or treating at Halloween.
The National Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (NARSOL) also wants children protected and kept safe. We are in full agreement with that goal. However, there is a total lack of evidence that the publication of these addresses at Halloween keeps children safe. Indeed, the volume of evidence showing no connection at all between Halloween and sexual harm done to children is numerous and well documented.
CDC says:
“Avoid these higher risk activities to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19:
Participating in traditional trick-or-treating where treats are handed to children who go door to door
Having trunk-or-treat where treats are handed out from trunks of cars lined up in large parking lots
Attending crowded costume parties held indoors
Going to an indoor haunted house where people may be crowded together and screaming
Going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household
Using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgement and increase risky behaviors
Traveling to a rural fall festival that is not in your community if you live in an area with community spread of COVID-19”
35 years ago when I was a kid trick or treating there was just as many sex offenders and no registry and I don’t remember any problems. Fact is there was almost no parents with their kids unless they were like under 7. We’d go out in groups and had a great time not this mockery we have now. There wasnt even parents at bus stops. Now big brothers got everyone thinking all the SOs on the list have been out prowling for kids but fails to say very high % is familiar custody and gonna happen no mater what. Then they’re gonna proclaim they need cameras on your kids inside the home, school, sports because only they can protect them because the stats on 1st time offenders is only going up with the registry lmfao.
I have prepared comments to the The Gilmore Mirror but it will not take them. Message I see:
ERROR for site owner: Invalid domain for site key
I have tried everything, even my own name. Anyone who can help me out?
SarahF,
It’s something their hosting company (http://www.solesolution.com/) has to fix. Here’s the Mirror’s contact info:
http://www.gilmermirror.com/pages/contact_us/?
And here’s how the hosting company can fix it in case they don’t know how:
https://support.pinnaclecart.com/support/solutions/articles/44000588184-fix-captcha-error-invalid-domain-for-site-key#:~:text=If%20you%20are%20getting%20the,reCAPTCHA%20at%20the%20top%20right.
Given the look of the Mirror’s website, with all the missing images and such, I would think the hosting company is substandard or they aren’t getting paid.
Thank you, JZ. I just sent my comments to their desk help using the website you shared above.
SarahF, you are very welcome. Glad I could help.
How many people on the registry are even thinking about kids come on this is slander. This isn’t a designation this is pure punishment and public manipulation when it damages a hell of a lot more now they are backed by names of kids who were rapped and killed. (Weltering, ludsferd, Walsh. How the heck’s it’s the polices duty to stir the community up about someone their is no evidence about this is harassment and slander. I was out working in my yard a couple years ago and 2 city police came by to introduce to me the guy taking over the position of watching SOs who looked like he knew his mentor was way out of line and they told me I wasn’t to have the lights on some thing they posted on my door Earlier in the week and I’m not even in the city… they said because I was close to being in the city they were just warning me because city kids would walk into county simply walking 1 house more. I told them get off my property which they did quickly and called the captain who would look into it. Telling me I can’t have Halloween has nothing todo with my crime which in other states and country’s was legal at the time. It’s the same as telling someone on probation for a bad check they can’t consume alcohol. Only I’m not on probation I’m on what’s worse than typical probation lifetime Registraion. 20 years they’ve stolen from me for political gain.
Maybe we will get some help from the CDC this year:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays.html#halloween
We should also start a petition to ban Helloween in Florida this year and until a vaccine is available to all. We could cite the CDC recommendation and state that is for the safety of the children. After all, isn’t that why we have a registry? For the safety of the children?
Must make people feel good to be able to denigrate people. What a sense of power……everyone will know I am a good person. In your dreams. Worried about this….really? I can help the politicians and religious fanatics…..BAN THE HOLIDAY. I for one would never miss it. Too bad kids can’t just be kids.
Actually the posting of addresses MORE than on the registry at Halloween got my windows shot out and almost killed a roommate I had at time who was NOT on the registry.
He moved out after that.
Not looking forward to this year since my street just got NEXTDOOR app this year and has already caused me issues. I do not participate in Halloween and turn off my lights. But I am a target on that night and pray each year for the night to be calm and for me to be left alone. BUT, of course I have to be calm because I just remembered it is NOT punishment.
Many of the people on my street were not even alive 30 years ago when I was arrested.
I have placed Blink products around my home and property. These are relatively inexpensive and amazingly good quality. There is no monthly fee and they connect with the WiFi in your home with video and sound.
I do not sell these products but find a bit of comfort in them knowing if someone attacks my home or property, there will be a video record for the police
I now have cameras but in this instance it wouldn’t have helped. It was EXTREMELY dark out and they drove by on the main road and shot at my house. Even the cameras I have now are not the best at night. My neighbor has good cameras but she says even with 10 cameras there are still blind spots
AND even if I had a good clip of the car/truck the police will NOT do anything when a registrant is a victim. I have made numerous reports of violence etc and each time it is thrown in the “Meet the Fockers” file.
Thanks for the info on the blink ( I don’t have wifi ) and hope your law enforcement will do more than mine do when or if you are a victim. They spend all this money having a sex offender task force but very little on solving REAL active crime.
Kansas and Missouri have banned door to door trick or treating, because of the Corona Virus. How many other States have done the same. Cops get your heads out you a holes.