Keeping our kids safe from sexual predators is a job parents are faced with every day. Now, with the help of a new service, you can find out of any registered offenders are living in your neighborhood or one you want to move to.
The service is offered by PropertyMaps.com, a real estate search engine. The database contains a list of over 300,000 registered sex offenders gathered from each state’s official register. The intent is to alert home buyers to offenders in their area but you can also check your current location.
From the homepage, click on “location information” to begin your search. Here you will find all the states listed. Then click on your city and finally your zip code. Then click on the “sex offenders” tab. If any are listed in your zip code, the information will be displayed. I checked my present location and found a list of 12 registered offenders. Imagine my surprise when one was just four blocks from my house! I was surprised and disturbed.
I then checked my house in New Orleans. I recall a few years ago receiving the notice that offenders are supposed to send out when they move into a new area or are convicted of a sex crime. This guy lived just two streets over from my house. I remember driving by to see the house so that I would know exactly which house it was. When I checked this new database, I found 14 listed offenders, none who lived close enough to my house for me to be overly concerned but I did save the information for future use. If you are not exactly sure where the address is located, you can pinpoint it on the map, included on the site. They have what’s called “pushpins” and if you hover over each one the name of the offender is revealed giving you a better idea of the location.
This is a great service and I would encourage parents to check it out. Remember the database information changes so I would also encourage you to check periodically to see if new offenders have been added.
See also:
Sexual Predators Groom For Silence
How To Ask A Child if They Have Been Sexually Abused