4alldads.com

In light of recent media coverage over a number of missing and/or sexually abused children, a discussion between a close friend and myself  over the safety of our children, sparked an intense investigation into the dark world of abuse that most parents only get a small glimpse of from the local media. My children and I live in an upscale neighborhood in Long Island, New York, where you would never even think about the potential of predators living next door.

Parents in general should always excersize simple safety guidelines and educate your children to be aware of their environment. My children know that they must inform me of where they are at any given time and in case of emergency they have enough sense to call 911. 

To my horrific surprise, my fact finding research yielded results that I found to be unsettling and served as an eye opener to a very disturbing reality. No one is immune, because sexual predators have no physical borders and are not confined to any given socio-economic group.

Thankfully, there are National Registries, State and Local Government sites that give parents the tools they need to be aware of the potential dangers that roam the local streets. Sites vary with regards to the amount of details they will provide, but generally the sites that I visited provided names, addresses, maps, photos and conviction information regarding all of the predators in my area.

A very helpful site was the FAMILY WATCHDOG , a national sex offender registry, where you can get information about your area. They provide you with the ability to sign up for alerts, offer a wide array of investigative tools, tips for parents and resources that I found quite valuable. On their Tips and Safety page, they offer some very helpful advise when it comes to teaching your children some street smarts:

• Always tell your parents where you are going.
• Never enter any home without getting your parent’s permission first.
• Never get into any vehicle, unless your parents know and have said it’s OK.
• Always wear reflective clothing at night.
• Never approach any house that is not well lit.
• Remember anything weird that an adult says or does to you and tell your parents immediately.
• Run away from people who offer you candy or other treats or want you to help look for their puppy or kitten.
• Scream, run and fight if anyone tries to grab you or make you to go with them.
• Don’t play in areas that you are unfamiliar with.
• Stay on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, always walk facing traffic.

They report that the national statistics of offender counts are staggering. This list contains the actual number of offenders that are publicly viewable in the official state registries.

The U.S. Department of Justice

AMBER Alert