Did you know this about Halloween and pedophiles?

Yes. Old news.

I think that is a great idea. I don’t know whether or not this happens in my community, but I think it should.

I hope that includes priests?

Part of the idea is good, but if the lights are off how are they going to read the sign?

No I didn’t know. Good idea!

I have a friend who’s dad’s in law enforcement and he was telling me about it today, I’d never heard of it, but now I’m going to be a nosy neighbor.

@Adirondackwannabe Hey, good point, I’m going to ask him. And supposedly a lot of registered sex offenders get together on holidays like this one to support each other. Makes you think.

I can’t quite believe this is true. The sign might as well read “I am a paedophile”.

I agree with @flutherother. This means, for example, that if I happen to dine out with friends on Halloween evening (which isn’t so uncommon sometimes), and leave the porch and house lights off while I go, that folks in the neighborhood are going to start making assumptions about, “Oh, he’s one of them, eh?”

I’m not one of ‘them’, and I don’t belong to any support groups.

…and to think back when I was a kid my folks’ biggest headache each Halloween was having to endure my pleas for a store-bought Superman costume.

@flutherother @CWOTUS Maybe it’s not the same in your area, I have no idea. In my small town I printed a photo list for all the neighbors (in Neighborhood Watch) and we had a pretty hefty stack of pedophiles. We also live by a city park, so go figure.

Anyway, I doubt anyone will think you’re pedophiles, calm down. :) Although your house may get tp’d or egg’d since you’re not handing out candy..lol

So it’s a law? Hm, it’s news to me. We have no such law here, though I’m sure POs tell their sex offenders they cannot give out candy on Halloween as a condition of probation – which is sort of like a law, but I’ve never heard of the signs. And not all sex offenders are on parole.

I really have no feelings about it either way. My future kids will be in view at all times on Halloween night, so I won’t be too worried about sex offenders. Then again, it’s not like it’s a huge loss to them to not have to buy candy and hand it out all night.

@CWOTUS I doubt they would think that. Lots of people aren’t home on Halloween night. The reason might be anything from visiting friends, to needing to work to going out to dinner. We usually go out to dinner, and don’t answer the door when we are home. So far we’ve done fine.

Yep. True. But it is a ridiculous, ineffective regulation.

Our friend (the one over 21 who had sex with his 16 year old girl friend 10 days before her 17th birthday) is now a registered Sex Offender. (the lowest (least harmful) but still an ‘offender’). He is told (Rule 1) to turn off the lights and not answer the door. He has also been told (Rule 2) to always answer the door for the PO if he comes for a surprise inspection.

His doorbell rang. He looked and saw the PO and his car in the driveway so he opened the door. (Rule 2: Always answer for the PO.) He got reprimanded for answering – violation of Rule 1!
Now he and his family make a home dinner party out of it so there are plenty of witnesses to any nonsense the PO might pull.

Seems like a bunch of BS and a chance for POs to collect a pile of overtime. I am sure there are some dangerous predators out there. If they are so dangerous maybe they should be kept in prison.

I hope the PO’s house got egged.

Yes, I knew that.

(self-edited) I’m cranky.

With two dogs who get very over-excited when strangers come to our door, I will keep my outdoor lights off and my door locked. To my knowledge I am no paedophile! As a diabetic, its best for me not to keep candy in the house. I am too easily tempted to eat those treats!

Oh god I wonder if my neighbors think I’m some sort of offender because I consistently turn my light off and put a sign up that says “sorry kids no candy this year” on my front gate every Halloween.

It’s a thoughtful question since I wonder how many kids are allowed to knock on strangers doors for treats? I think maybe those days should be over? Considering the climate regards these issues. Perhaps people should keep it to people they know and parents should accompany them.

I did not know this.
I’m still glad I was a kid in the 70s. We always had so much fun.

Many parents came with the kids this year, I was happy to see that. :)
(Not cranky anymore, child crimes really peeve me off and get me riled.)

Almost no one has porch lights on any more. Downtown has stolen all the children, like the Pied Piper.