I'm sick to my stomach.. 103 registered sex offenders live in my zip code area.

[Faith]

I just want to throw up.

We can't move. We don't have the money. We can't sell as we owe way more than it's worth. What else can we do? I'm just sick.

Have you checked your zip lately?

http://www.criminalcheck.com/

[Beth in Central TX]

We had 13 show up in our zip code. One is rather close though. Thanks, for the link; I probably should monitor this more since we have so many homes selling in our area.

[Jennifer in MI]

((hugs)) I'm so sorry!!

However, I think that no matter where you moved (if you could), you'd still have registered sex offenders. And, now you know. Go through the list and see what types of crimes they committed. Some of them are on there because they flashed someone as a prank at 18 (my brother's good friend from high school is on the list for this!). So, not all are dangerous and out to get you or your family.

My state has a listing with pictures. It was wonderful to know the faces.

I just checked and there were three in my zip code. One is 91. Not too concerned with him. TWO lived on my previous street. We didn't allow our kids to go near those houses. They knew why. One of the kids on the list from our street had started to show an interest in one of my boys. (This was before we knew he was on the list.) He was always bringing him gifts and all. They never spent time alone. But, we had another neighbor who worked in the DA's office. She said that his crime was against another boy MY SON'S AGE!!!! Yuck, yuck, yuck. But, I was sure glad to know.

((hugs)) I remember that sinking feeling I had when I heard about that one boy in particular on our street.

[Jill, OK]

Sometimes, knowing something brings a little pressure, and makes things seem worse than they really are. Just remember; this is a tool! You have information you wouldn't otherwise have, and information is generally a good thing.

You'd likely keep a close eye on who your kids associate with, anyway, and look out for odd relationships developing, like what was mentioned here, so this is really just a little more ammunition to go along with that.

My kids still go out and play. And yes, even in the country...there are predators in my zip code. We had an incident not too long ago, with a guy trying to get in the house of a lady (homeschooling mom with kids) that lives down the road from me, in broad daylight. It freaked me out, but we just keep telling our kids the same things we've always told them, training them the way we've always done, and live our lives.

The advice to look at specific offenses is good, too; some of them even say the perp's age when the act was committed. Some of these blanket offenses can mean many different things, and while it's always good to be careful, when it comes to your kids, just remember that you're getting a few pieces of information, only.

((Hugs))

[GothicGyrl]

It doesn't make their crime right, but also remember that some are labled sex offender when they were 18 and had sex withy a 15/16 year old. Or a 19 yr old with a 16 yr old.

I'm not saying what they did was right, it wasn't, but labeling them a "sex offender" is really ---well, they need a better lableing system. Not all of them are true offenders, it's just the only thing the courts can label them as because that's the closest thing to what they did.

Flashers get labeled as such. Someone caught masterbating in public is labeled as such. They just don't have clear cut definitions for what is and isn't a true sex offender.

I have one full page of offenders in our area and I'm not worried about it because I can't spend my life worrying about who my neighbor is.

[Faith]

((hugs)) I'm so sorry!!

However, I think that no matter where you moved (if you could), you'd still have registered sex offenders. And, now you know. Go through the list and see what types of crimes they committed. Some of them are on there because they flashed someone as a prank at 18 (my brother's good friend from high school is on the list for this!). So, not all are dangerous and out to get you or your family.

My state has a listing with pictures. It was wonderful to know the faces.

I just checked and there were three in my zip code. One is 91. Not too concerned with him. TWO lived on my previous street. We didn't allow our kids to go near those houses. They knew why. One of the kids on the list from our street had started to show an interest in one of my boys. (This was before we knew he was on the list.) He was always bringing him gifts and all. They never spent time alone. But, we had another neighbor who worked in the DA's office. She said that his crime was against another boy MY SON'S AGE!!!! Yuck, yuck, yuck. But, I was sure glad to know.

((hugs)) I remember that sinking feeling I had when I heard about that one boy in particular on our street.

Almost everyone of them was lewd sex acts to a child, rape and sodomy. UGH!

[Janet in WA]

Have you checked your zip lately?

http://www.criminalcheck.com/Yes. None turned up. But there are some in neighboring zip codes.

[King Alfred Academy]

This is one of the reasons why I am such an advocate for personal safety. Crime is never going away. There are sickos out there who want to harm people. I believe strongly in being as prepared as one can to defend oneself and to protect loved ones. I take self defense classes whenever they are offered and have a 5 inch (1/2 diameter) solid metal "stick" attached to my key chain. I have been trained on how to use it and how to escape to safety if I am attacked. I am able to walk with confidence knowing that I could take care of myself in most situations. :D

As far as our kids are concerned, supervision is key.

Thanks for listing the link. I am going to check my zip code out now.

Stay safe!

[Faith]

I have more info, after doing more searching... apparently there is a whole community of convicted sex offenders that have moved in near me under 2 miles from my home. I go by there daily. UGH! A ministry group moved them in. I would link the info but I would then give away where I live and I don't want to do that on here. But, there is another group trying to stop them from moving them in here. They are dangerous, and unsupervised. No gate, no security. Rape, sodomy, lewd acts to children are some of the convicitions, all recent. It said many have moved out of their homes in our area due to this "community" moving in. They plan to move many more in.

This is not good.

[King Alfred Academy]

Yuck. I am so sorry to hear that.
At least you are aware of it now and able to do what you can to avoid that area as much as you possibly can. I know that will probably be difficult since it is so close but even being aware will keep you safer.

[Jennifer in MI]

Okay - that does sound bad. But, now you know. The initial number sounds high, but now you know why. You have the information and know where most of them live. Stay away from that area. Maybe contact the police and ask what extra protection they are planning given that a very large number of sex-offenders are moving in. Maybe they can give you some piece of mind.

(((hugs)))

[Cricket]

It doesn't make their crime right, but also remember that some are labled sex offender when they were 18 and had sex withy a 15/16 year old. Or a 19 yr old with a 16 yr old.

I'm not saying what they did was right, it wasn't, but labeling them a "sex offender" is really ---well, they need a better lableing system. Not all of them are true offenders, it's just the only thing the courts can label them as because that's the closest thing to what they did.

I wish they would classify them in another way. There is a huge difference between a boyfriend and girlfriend a few years apart and a grown man or woman preying on young children.

[Faith]

Okay - that does sound bad. But, now you know. The initial number sounds high, but now you know why. You have the information and know where most of them live. Stay away from that area. Maybe contact the police and ask what extra protection they are planning given that a very large number of sex-offenders are moving in. Maybe they can give you some piece of mind.

(((hugs)))

Yes, that's true. Now that I know.. I can take precautions until we can someday move to a safer place. Have to find some positive out of all this news.

[KiminNJ]

Faith - Thank you for that link. It turned up more names than I've ever seen before compared to the NJ State Troopers website. Through knowledge and prayer hopefully we can protect our children as best possible. Thanks!

[nukeswife]

We had a pretty long list of them, but 75% of them were listed for 1 address, which was the City Jail which is about 2 miles from our house. There were none listed within a few blocks of us though.

I guess for me I figure they are out there no matter where you live so I just don't let my kids out alone except for in our fenced back yard. Yes there are gates but the kids can't open them and they never go out without me unless our dog is out there, and she's not going to let anyone near the kids. Plus even if I'm not out there I can still see them from where I am in the house.

[Renee in FL]

I would be more worried about the ones you *don't* know about. Our dc are much more likely to be s*xually assaulted/molested by someone you know and trust.

[Colleen]

Like Toni, I'm not particularly impressed with the definitions and who does and doesn't "make the cut". My brother-in-law is a child molester, has done time, and isn't on the list. On the other hand, a person might be on there for doing a stupid prank, e.g. mooning someone. Drama Queen is right. It's more likely harm would come to your children from someone they know and trust than from a stranger. Awareness is good; fear and worry are not.

[Cathy in IL]

There are several listed as predators that live in a hotel in my zip code. there are lots of people listed in my zip code, bt done on this block. I know there are laws about how close they can live to a school. There is a school at the end of my block, so that may be why no one on this list is too close to my address.

[Liz CA]

I just want to throw up.

We can't move. We don't have the money. We can't sell as we owe way more than it's worth. What else can we do? I'm just sick.

Have you checked your zip lately?

http://www.criminalcheck.com/

Jennifer is right. No matter where you move there will be some. Just think if you could move and then 3-6 months later, someone will move in. You just can't control it.
Best is to worry about what we can control - be very clear with your children where they are allowed to go and where NOT.
Depending on their ages, you can explain why you are concerned. I used to describe them as people that were not *right in their heads* and did weird and hurtful things to children to my son when he was little. He didn't need to know the whole gory truth but he needed to know why it was so important to do as he was told.

I live in a small community (2500 people) and to my surprise, we have 3 in the little town here.
I know it's icky and we wish we would not have to deal with it and our children would not have to be restricted because of it...but it's reality.

:(

[GLOWAcademy]

Oh No 23 where my grandmother lives and 6 here :(