MIAMI – Whether you trick-or-treat in your own neighborhood or gather with friends and family for a community event in South Florida, it's good to plan ahead and check the area for your child's safety.
How well lit is it? Will cars be driving by? Are there sidewalks along the streets?
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One question you might not think to add to your safety check: Are there any sex offenders on your trick-or-treating route?
But it's a pretty easy one to answer.
The FDLE Sexual Offender and Predator Database allows anyone to search where offenders might be in their neighborhood, by putting in their address, ZIP code and then selecting anywhere from a 1/4-mile to a 5-mile radius.
Here are the steps to search for nearby sex offenders:
CLICK HERE to the FDLE database
Type your address into the neighborhood search.
Select the radius you wish to search in the drop-down window (1/4 mile, 1/2 mile, 1 mile, 2 mile, 3 mile, 4 mile, 5 mile).
- Click the "Search" button to show results.
- If you click on an icon on the map, it will show a pop-up box with the name, address and picture of the offender or predator.
- You can also switch to a list view by clicking "Show List." The list includes how far the offender or predator lives from you and a link to their FDLE flyer.
- The flyer includes descriptive information, and when/why the person was labeled a predator or offender. The flyers can be downloaded as PDFs and printed.
- The list view also offers a link to "track offender." For more information on the Florida Offender Alert System and how to sign up, click here.
- The FDLE has an app to help families track when sex offenders move into a neighborhood.
- To download the free app, search "FDLE Mobile App" in the Google Play Store or "FDLE" in the Apple App Store. FDLE reminds users the app should never be used in an emergency.
Sex offenders also have specific rules about what they can and can't do around Halloween, depending on what county they live in.