I read a story a few days ago about a family who’s neighbor recently registered as a sex offender and I was curious to see how many registered sex offenders were in my neighborhood. I was amazed on the amount of sex offenders registered in my area – I found 103 offenders and 18 non-mappable offenders in my city within a 10 mile radius. The city I live in is one of the safest cities in America voted by Good Morning America in 2010.
If you would like to know how many registered sex offenders are in your neighborhood or if you would like to get alerts for new registered sex offenders, you can visit the Family Watchdog web site.
Tips to stay safe from the Family Watchdog Web Site
Parents
- Always know where your children are.
- Put your children’s emergency identification (name, address, phone number) on their clothes.
- Teach your children your home phone number and to how call 911 if there is an emergency.
- Agree on a specific time when children must return home.
- Contact law enforcement authorities immediately if there is any suspicious or unlawful activity.
- Purchase and watch The Safe Side video with your children.
Children
- Always tell your parents where you are going.
- Never enter any home without getting your parent’s permission first.
- Never get into any vehicle, unless your parents know and have said it’s OK.
- Always wear reflective clothing at night.
- Never approach any house that is not well lit.
- Remember anything weird that an adult says or does to you and tell your parents immediately.
- Run away from people who offer you candy or other treats or want you to help look for their puppy or kitten.
- Scream, run and fight if anyone tries to grab you or make you to go with them.
- Don’t play in areas that you are unfamiliar with.
- Stay on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, always walk facing traffic.
It’s also important for parents to keep close tabs when children are using the computer for online activity.