October 15, 2008 09:26 pm
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By Jeff Lehr
jlehr@joplinglobe.com
The Jasper County sheriff announced Wednesday that deputies will be conducting spot checks to see that registered sex offenders are complying with a new state law restricting their activities on Halloween.
The law requires registered sex offenders to avoid “all Halloween-related contact with children” on Oct. 31, and to remain inside their homes between the hours of 5 and 10:30 p.m. unless they are required to be somewhere else for reasons of employment, medical emergencies or other “just cause.”
They also must post signs at their homes stating, “No candy or treats at this residence,” and must leave all outside residential lighting off for the night after 5 p.m.
Violations of the law constitute a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine up to $1,000.
Sheriff Archie Dunn said in a news release that the law is intended to ensure the safety of children on Halloween, and that his department will be enforcing it.
“It is our intent to do random spot checks of residences of some of our registered sex offenders on Halloween to ensure they are in compliance with these new regulations,” Dunn said.
He said the sheriff’s office will be providing free signs for sex offenders to post at their homes. The signs may be picked up at the sheriff’s office at 2907 County Road 180, the Jasper County Jail at 403 E. Fifth St. in Carthage, and at the security checkpoints in the Jasper County Courts Building in Joplin and the courthouse in Carthage.
The sheriff said parents of children who are trick-or-treating on Halloween may see the addresses and names of sex offenders through the Missouri Sex Offender Registry provided online by the Missouri State Highway Patrol at www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/MSHPWeb/PatrolDivisions/CRID/SOR/SORPage.html.
State law now gives sex offenders just three days, instead of 10, in which to register with local law enforcement after a conviction, release from incarceration or placement on probation. They also have three days to notify law enforcement of any changes in address, employment and vehicles. All registration must be done in person.
Among other required information, sex offenders must provide palm and fingerprints, be entered into an Iris Scan System, and give a DNA sample if they have not previously done so. They also are required to provide any online identities they may be using as a protection against online sexual predators.
Sex offenders
There are 153 registered sex offenders in Jasper County. That number includes a significant portion of the 92 registered sex offenders living in Joplin. The rest of the registered sex offenders in Joplin live in the Newton County part of the town.
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