The state Department of Corrections is putting most of the state’s sex offenders on notice. The agency has issued a prohibition on any registered sex offender currently on probation or under supervision from taking part in Halloween activities in their communities.
DOC Director of Sex Offender Programs Lance Wiersma says those restriction include handing out candy, decorating their residence, or even dressing up in costume.
Wiersma says agents and local police will be checking up on them with random stops. Violators could face sanctions, including jail time. The restrictions do not apply to individuals on the sex offender registry who have completed their sentence.
Wiersma says residents living near sex offenders should educate their children about avoiding those homes and also teach them to practice safe trick-or-treating. He says those tips should include going door-to-door in groups, only stopping at homes they know, and traveling with an adult.
Residents can report suspected violations to local police or by calling the DOC at 1-877-234-0085.
AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (1:08)
