By Amy Leigh Womack
The Macon Telegraph
MACON, Ga. — While trick-or-treaters are ringing doorbells Thursday, more than 300 Middle Georgia sex offenders supervised by parole and probation officers will be subject to extra restrictions, keeping them away from superheroes and princesses collecting candy.
In Bibb County, 130 sex offenders with child victims will be required to report to the Macon Probation Office from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, said Vickie Lee, chief probation officer.
Lee said 35 sex offenders in Peach and Crawford counties, who also have child victims, will be reporting to the Fort Valley office during the same prime trick-or-treating hours.
“They’ll be here. They won’t be out in the community,” she said.
While at the probation offices, offenders will meet with probation officers about their cases.
“It’s not wasted time,” Lee said.
Ten more sex offenders in Bibb County and three in Peach and Crawford counties who do not have child victims are required to stay home with a 6 p.m. curfew. They’re barred from decorating outdoors and must keep porch lights turned off, Lee said.
Probation officers will be making visits to ensure compliance with the restrictions, she said.
In Houston County, 125 sex offenders supervised by the Warner Robins Probation Office are required to stay home with their lights off. They also are banned from participating in Halloween activities and will be monitored by probation officers and law enforcement, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections.
An additional 37 sex offenders on parole in the four counties also are subject to a 5:30 p.m. curfew unless they’re on the job. Working offenders are required to go home and stay home immediately after work, said James Bergman, chief parole officer for the Macon Parole Office.
Like those on probation, the parolees can’t decorate, Bergman said.
Parole officers will be making compliance checks while also conducting routine searches of houses and cars for contraband.
“They understand and they’re told up front what’s expected of them,” Bergman said of the sex offenders. “They’re supervised with more scrutiny than any other population on parole.”
While the restrictions help protect children, Bergman said they also benefit sex offenders because if they’re at home, there can’t be any allegations that they’re out doing something they shouldn’t.
Bergman and Lee said the restrictions have been in place for years and so far they haven’t had anyone violate them.
Although 340 of the registered sex offenders in Bibb, Crawford, Houston and Peach counties will be monitored Halloween night, another 227 who aren’t incarcerated or under parole or probation officers’ supervision don’t have any special restrictions.
Lee said parents should check the GBI’s online Sex Offender Registry before taking children into unfamiliar neighborhoods.
The registry, located at gbi.georgia.gov/georgia-sex-offender-registry, is searchable by name, street, city, county and ZIP code.
“You never know,” she said. “There are people registered in all kinds of neighborhoods.”