Mapping Sex Offenders
The public Sex Offender list is a very sad item to consider. Each person listed on there has not only been convicted of a terrible crime that destroys the heart of the victim, but the perpetrator is publicly marked for the rest of his or her life. I find it very sad to see their faces and consider how their laves have changed.
However, I have had to use it before to confirm the suspicions of someone with the church. A woman who had been attending the church for a while went pale at the sight of a man she thought she recognized. A man who reminded her of a convicted pedophile she had met many years before. If I remember correctly the results were inconclusive.
There are many ways to search the list, but here are a few:
- AlertDude.com has an interactive map which lets you search for offenders and predators around an address. For a small fee you can be notified if someone on the list moves into your area. Requires Internet Explorer.
- CriminalCheck.com also allows searching by location and includes a basic map function. It uses the PublicData.com database which we also use for preliminary background checks.
- MapSexOffenders.com has a nice Google Maps based interface which allows you to better view a large area.
- FamilyWatchdog.us does not seem as thorough, but it has some useful information.
Most of these maps make use of the Google Maps system, Yahoo Maps, or MSN Live Local; but if you are trying to locate a precise house I have found the real estate site Zillow.com to be most useful.
It can be a dreadful surprise to discover an unexpected perpetrator. Who would have expected an 84 year old woman of sexually molesting an 11 year old boy, yet it has happened.
Here is the story.
Here is the video.
UPDATE: Another Sex Offender Search Site.
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