Sex offender gives out candy on Halloween -- and it's legal
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KENNEWICK -- KEPR is Taking Action For You, after a frustrated call into our newsroom on Halloween. They were furious that a registered sex offender was handing out candy to neighborhood children.
The caller says she called police but nothing ever happened.
So, Action News checked with Kennewick Police, who say they did pay a visit to that neighborhood Halloween night.
Kennewick Police spokesman Mike Blatman says it was determined that no laws were being broken. But the caller chose to be anonymous, so there was no way to inform her.
The offender has already paid their time behind bars, and is no longer under supervision from the Department of Corrections. And since there are no restrictions keeping the offender away from children, handing out candy to trick-or-treaters is perfectly legal.
Blatman says it's a common misconception that offenders aren't ever allowed around kids.
He encourages families to track sex offenders in their neighborhood using the Benton and Franklin County Sex Offender Registries, so they can stay aware of potential risks to their children.
The caller says she called police but nothing ever happened.
So, Action News checked with Kennewick Police, who say they did pay a visit to that neighborhood Halloween night.
Kennewick Police spokesman Mike Blatman says it was determined that no laws were being broken. But the caller chose to be anonymous, so there was no way to inform her.
The offender has already paid their time behind bars, and is no longer under supervision from the Department of Corrections. And since there are no restrictions keeping the offender away from children, handing out candy to trick-or-treaters is perfectly legal.
Blatman says it's a common misconception that offenders aren't ever allowed around kids.
He encourages families to track sex offenders in their neighborhood using the Benton and Franklin County Sex Offender Registries, so they can stay aware of potential risks to their children.
In addition to the low recidivism rate, which is 5.3% according to the Department of Justice and CA Sex Offender Management Board, there is a basic tenet of all world religions called forgiveness at play here. Â This clip was pretty disgusting in that it will save no child - there is no history at all of any child being bothered by a sexual offender on Hallowe'en. Â As a parent this is offensive, as a citizen it's poor journalism. Â It protects NO ONE and promotes a false sense of safety. Â Keep one eye on your children, and the other on everyone else, especially their family and close social circle. Â Never mind the ex offenders whose names, addresses, job info, descriptions, etc. are pasted all over the Internet like Bin Laden's bio.
Sex offenders have the lowest recidivism rate of all criminals except murderers, according to dozens of university, federal and state studies. Not all sex offenders have victimized children, and over 1/3 of sex crimes perpetrated against children are committed by other children. 95% of kids are abused by family or friends who aren't on the registry. Dr. Jill Levensonâs 2009 study, âHow Safe are Trick-or-Treaters: Child Sex Crime Rates on Halloween?â found that non-familial child sexual abuse accounted for less than .2% on Halloween.
 @First Last Peddling fear keeps the readers coming. Available data suggests the danger comes from those who haven't ever been convicted of a sex crime... people familiar to the victim.Â
Let's have a conversation about substantiated Halloween fears like trick-or-treating kids getting bit by dogs and getting hit by cars, not the urban myths of tainted candy and sex offenders.Â