Russell County plans to round up sex offenders on Halloween night (again)

For more on Halloween laws in general, visit my Halloween Laws page AT ONCEFALLEN.COM

Halloween laws are pointless. First off, who lets their kids go out alone? Even when I was growing up, there was supervision, so the chances of a child getting snatched by a killer is virtually nil. I guess the Levenson study that found no unique increase in sex crimes around Halloween. Also, this is only mandatory for those on supervision. The rest of the registrants can stell Sheriff Buford T Justice to stick it.

This is a bad Halloween sequel that does not deserve a series.

http://blog.al.com/wire/2011/10/russell_county_plans_to_round.html

Russell County plans to round up sex offenders on Halloween night

The Associated Press 
on October 27, 2011 at 11:49 AM, updated October 27, 2011 at 11:57 AM
halloween.JPG

PHENIX CITY, Alabama — A southeast Alabama county is trying to round up all its convicted sex offenders on Halloween night to make sure they can't come in contact with children who are out trick-or-treating.

The Russell County Sheriff's Department is requiring about 35 sex offenders who are on probation or parole to come to the county courthouse in Phenix City on Monday night for a mandatory meeting.

The county's 115 other registered sex offenders are being asked to come to the meeting voluntarily.

An aide to Sheriff Heath Thomas says offenders will get an update on the latest registration requirements. She says they might also get to watch a movie since the training won't take very long.

The sheriff's department says parents can locate registered sex offenders through its website.

Halloweenitis invades Alabama, 2012 edition

It's my birthday. Yes, I was born on Halloween. It is the day for scary things, and nothing is scarier than the fearmongering of our local members of the "law enforcement community."

I'm sure there will be more of the same as the day continues, but here are a couple of stupid articles exacerbating the new sex offender urban myth:

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/10/post_809.html


Watch out for sex offenders on Halloween, Jefferson County authorities warn
 By Carol Robinson | crobinson@al.com
on October 30, 2012 at 2:11 PM, updated October 30, 2012 at 2:33 PM Email | Print

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Alabama - As if Halloween isn't creepy enough already, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office has issued a warning to remind trick or treaters to stay away from the real creeps.

The ghoulish truth is convicted sex offenders are out there, sheriff's officials said, and parents and children need to know where they are and avoid those homes when planning their routes.

"It's just the world we live in now,'' said Chief Deputy Randy Christian. "The truth is it has always been a safety issue, but back in the old days there was no sex offender registry available. Our children were just out there without a safety net."

"The fact that we know where they are now is very helpful in arming our parents with that information,'' Christian said, "so they can make safe, good , decisions about avoiding them and keeping our young people out of harm's way."

To find out if there are any sex offenders nearby, go to the sheriff's office website at www.jeffcosheriff.net and click on Sex Offenders. "What we want more than anything,'' Christian said, "is for all of our little ghost and goblins to have a safe and fun Halloween."

http://blog.al.com/breaking/2012/10/huntsville_police_increase_pat.html


Home Owners Should: Have a well-lit home both inside and out to prevent vandalism and injuries, remove all obstacles from their lawns to avoid injuries and don't use candles in ornaments that could set a fire.

Check their neighborhoods for known sex offenders by visiting _____ (website deleted)

I'd like to remind these people that research has shown that these laws are not necessary, as Halloween has already been safe. http://www.oncefallen.com/HalloweenLaws.html

There is no statewide law banning registrants from participating in Halloween, but use caution before engaging in any Halloween Activity. Cops are looking for any excuse to detain you.

Drunken Tuscumbia Police Chief Tony Logan makes for bad interview

Tuscumbia Police Chief Tony Logan is currently on probation for a DUI, so I wouldn't be surprised if he was drunk when he gave this idiotic interview for the Times Daily.  

 Sex offenders attend meeting Halloween night

By Tom Smith, Senior Staff Writer

http://www.timesdaily.com/stories/Sex-offenders-attend-meeting-Halloween-night,183811

  

All sex offenders in Alabama will be required to attend an educational program on sex offender laws for four hours on Halloween night. The Alabama State Probation and Parole Office and the U.S. Probation Office are joining together to provide the program on state and federal sex offender laws to all felony sex offenders under supervision of state and federal probation and parole offices in Huntsville.

U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance’s office requires felony sex offenders to attend the educational program, which also will provide training on employment and other community support topics. It will be 5:30-9:30 p.m. Monday at an undisclosed location. 

The timing of the program coincides with trick-or-treaters taking to the streets Halloween night and going door to door. “I know parents are concerned and it’s a concern for law enforcement,” Tuscumbia Police Chief Tony Logan said. “There are a couple of times a year I refer to as a pedophile’s dream come true. This is one of those times.”

Supervisory U.S. Probation Officer Jeffrey Purcell said the operation is a pro-active venture to provide education and training to sex offenders, and improve accountability and behavior change. “As well as safeguard the community, in that these offenders will not be participating in Halloween activities,” he said. Deputy Florence Police Chief Tim Shaddix backs the program. “I know parents who have already gotten on the Internet to find where the registered sex offenders live to make sure they don’t take their children into those neighborhoods,” he said.

Logan said knowing that sex offenders will not be around on Halloween night will give parents and law enforcement some peace of mind. “This is brilliant. I love it,” Logan said. “It will help provide a safe environment for the hundreds of kids out Halloween night and their parents.” 

In Tennessee, state probation and parole officers will be making announced and unannounced visits to make sure convicted sex offenders are complying with restrictions during Halloween. They cannot answer the door to trick-or-treaters, pass out candy, decorate their homes, host Halloween parties or wear costumes, state officials said. Local law enforcement officers will be going with probation and parole officers on many of the visits. “I know this is a concern for the public and for parents, but hopefully these measures will ease their concerns,” Shaddix said.

Well, before anyone thinks I'm making up the Tony Logan drunkenness bit, see the story below. A recent study found that your the biggest risk to your child is AUTO-RELATED. You know, like a lush behind the wheel of a car. Who is the bigger threat?:

http://www.whnt.com/news/whnt-tuscumbia-chief-tony-logan-dui-conviction,0,4133902.story

Tuscumbia's Police Chief Found Guilty In DUI Case

Tony Logan faces a $600 fine for the conviction

WHNT NEWS 19 Staff Reports

11:33 AM CST, March 10, 2010

TUSCUMBIA, AL

Tuscumbia's police chief went before a judge Wednesday on his DUI charge. A Colbert County judge found Tony Logan guilty. Judge James Hall ordered Logan to pay a $600 fine, and handed him a 90-day suspended sentence. He will also serve two years probation. Logan's blood alcohol level was .272 when he was arrested December 5, 2009. Florence Police arrested Logan outside of his home after Logan turned in to his driveway, missed, and hit the mailbox. Florence Police say Logan hit his City of Tuscumbia patrol car that was parked in the driveway and ended up in a neighbor's yard across the street. Logan had been on administrative leave until March 1, when he reported to work. Tuscumbia Mayor Bill Shoemaker says he needed Logan back on the job.

Limestone County won't hold Halloween sex-offender roundup

I'm glad to see the reform movement represented in this article (Congrats to Sandi Hrozek) and at least one county won't engage in Halloweenitis at least for this year. This is a good article for the most part.


http://enewscourier.com/local/x1607579378/Limestone-County-wont-hold-Halloween-sex-offender-roundup

Limestone County won't hold Halloween sex-offender roundup

By Jean Cole

jean@athensnews-courier.com

— The Limestone County Sheriff’s Department won’t be rounding up sex offenders to keep them away from kids on Halloween like the sheriff’s department in one southeast Alabama county.

The Russell County Sheriff's Department is requiring about 35 sex offenders who are on state probation or parole to come to the county courthouse in Phenix City on Monday night for a mandatory three-hour meeting, the Associated Press reported.

Failing to attend could lead to a parole violation and jail time.

The department is also asking 115 other sex offenders to voluntarily attend the meeting, according to the AP. Laurie Franklin, an aide to Russell County Sheriff Heath Taylor, said sex offenders who voluntarily attend the meeting will receive a $20 reduction in their $80 annual registration fee, the AP reported.

During the meeting, which lasts from 6 to 9 p.m., sex offenders will hear an update on sex-offender registration requirements, Franklin said.

“I don't think it's going to take three hours,” she said. “They may show them a movie or something just so they don't have to sit there.”

Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely said he wouldn’t be holding such a roundup for several reasons. He does not have the authority to order sex offenders to attend and could not charge them with anything if they did not. He said he does not have the manpower to conduct such an operation. And, he believes his department is doing a good job of tracking sex offenders, whose addresses are available online.

“We don’t have authority to do that (hold a roundup), that would be up to the parole office,” Blakely said. “Logistically, we couldn’t do it with personnel and overtime. If we thought there was a problem we’d do something, but we keep a pretty good handle on them now.”

He said Investigator Mike Gunter, with assistance from Lisa Swindall, does “an excellent job” making sure new and existing sex-offenders comply with the requirements of Megan’s Law. The law requires convicted sex offenders to, among other things, register as offenders, report their whereabouts as well as seek permission before moving or changing jobs. Blakely said all of the other officers also assist with making sure convicted sex offenders comply with the law.

“If they (sex offenders) violate the requirement, they get arrested,” Blakely said.

Gunter said he monitors roughly 143 sex offenders in Limestone County. He said some of those are incarcerated in state prison or local jails. He said that while the Russell County roundup is probably a good thing, he questioned its effectiveness because the meeting would not be mandatory for most of the county’s sex offenders. He said those on state probation or parole are the only ones being required to attend. He said he monitors only “a handful” of sex offenders who would have to attend.

Also, some sex offenders are convicted for victimizing an adult. Others are young men who have had sexual intercourse with a teenage girl who is under the legal age to consent to sex. For example, an 18-year-old boy whose girlfriend is 15. These offenders are not considered a threat to young children.

For and against

Russell County is not the first county or state that has tried to keep tabs on sex offenders on Halloween.

The state of California requires paroled sex offenders who have homes to remain indoors, turn off lights and refrain from decorating and handing out candy on Oct. 31. This Halloween, 2,000 paroled sex offenders without homes must report to parole centers so they have no contact with children on Halloween. They must wear an electronic monitor so authorities can make sure they comply.

Sandi Hrozek of the Internet-based ReformSexOffenderLaws.org, which aims to protect children from abuse while balancing the rights of convicted sex offenders, questioned the effectiveness of such efforts in an email to the Associated Press.

“There have been studies done determining that the incidence of sexual assault on children is no higher on Halloween than any other day of the year, and there is not a single reported case on record of a child being assaulted by a registered offender while trick-or-treating. It is what some have called a solution looking for a problem,” Hrozek wrote.

Information for parents

There are other ways parents can ensure the safety of children on Halloween. They could accompany their children for trick-or-treating or check on the locations of sex offenders through websites, something the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department also encourages parents to do. Two such websites are: [I will not add public registry links here]

Halloweenitis epidemic spreads to Russell County

It is time Alabama quits living in the past and base laws on facts and not prejudice. The fact is Halloween has always been one of the safest days of the year for children. Even when I was a child there were chaperones and almost no one trick-or-treated alone. Remember how when we were kids, parents would sift through candy looking for poisoned candy and razor blades in apples? Now that we are adults, we discovered besides it being an urban legend, it was an excuse to help ourselves to some choice candy. This law is based on an urban legend. This is just another dumb imported idea from other small town/ small mind areas. You can gain more facts about Halloween laws here: http://www.oncefallen.com/HalloweenLaws.html



I'd like to add the law in this article is REQUIRED for those on probation/ parole BUT NOT REQUIRED for those off paper. If you are off paper, tell the cops to stick it where the sun doesn't shine.

http://blog.al.com/montgomery/2011/10/registered_sex_offenders_on_pr.html

RUSSELL COUNTY, Alabama -- The Russell County Sheriff's Office has offered parents of trick-or-treaters a way to avoid houses of registered sex offenders.

The sheriff's office has partnered with the Alabama Board of Pardons & Patrol to sponsor a meeting of all registered sex offenders during the Halloween trick-or-treating hours of 6 to 9 p.m. Monday. All sex offenders on probation are required to attend the meeting at the Russell County Courthouse Commission Chambers. Those sex offenders not on probation are not required but urged to attend.

The sheriff's office reports there are approximately 150 registered sex offenders in Russell County.

The OffenderWatch tool on the sheriff's office website will show citizens where registered sex offenders live. Sheriff Heath Taylor urges residents to check the addresses of the areas you will be visiting on the holiday. The service also allows residents to register all their important addresses and receive email alerts when a registered sex offender moves into the area.

For more information, residents can call the Russell County Sheriff's Office at 334-298-6535.

PS: Offender Watch is a PRIVATE registry software company. It is not enough America is privatizing prisons, they are privatizing the public registry as well.