Tennessee Makes Halloween Safe by Restricting, Monitoring Sex Offenders

When it comes to the safety of children, parents are always concerned about finding ways to better protect them as they pass through all the various stages of growing up. Allowing children to be children isn't as easy as it used to be. These days it seems we have so much more to do in order to keep our children and grandchildren safe. Every year around Halloween, parents face a dilemma about allowing their children to go door-to-door to trick-or-treat. Most parents allow the Halloween custom to continue under their watchful eye. Some choose to host parties in their own homes so they can better monitor all the activities.

Concerns for the safety of children should always be uppermost in the minds of parents and that is especially true around Halloween. This is a time when both children and adults are allowed to dress up in costumes and masks. It is a fun time for everyone but there is always an element of the population that tries to prey upon the innocent and unsuspecting. Costumes and masks make it very easy for anyone with ill intentions to practice their evil tactics.

The Board of Probation and Parole in the state of Tennessee has issued some very strict orders for all of their registered sex offenders. These restrictions are designed to help protect innocent children as they celebrate Halloween.

According to information in The Portland Progressive, every state-supervised sex offender has already received a letter which details these restrictions which apply to all Halloween, harvest or fall festival activities within the state.

The restrictions are as follows:

1) Neither they, nor anyone in their home, can answer the door to trick or treaters on Halloween.

2) They cannot pass out candy or other Halloween treats.

3) They cannot decorate their homes either inside or out for Halloween.

4) They cannot host Halloween parties or go to haunted houses, corn mazes, hay rides or any other seasonal activities.

5) They cannot attend any function where children are present, including a private residence.

6) They are not permitted to wear costumes.

7) They cannot take any children trick-or-treating.

Police officers are currently making both announced and unannounced visits to verify that sex offenders are complying with the state regulations.

It is good to know that the state of Tennessee is taking a tough position on its sexual offenders. Laws are good, but they also need to be enforced and Tennessee is doing just that in order to help protect its children from sexual offenders. Making children safer is a very noble goal and, hopefully, other states either are or will be issuing similar restrictions and enforcing them for the safety of this nation's children.

Source:

The Portland Progressive

October 22, 2008