Dover – Registered sex offenders on probation in Delaware are being kept off the streets this Halloween in the interest of public safety as a condition of their supervision by the Department of Correction, Commissioner Robert M. Coupe announced today.

Each year on Halloween night, the Department of Correction imposes special conditions on all high risk sex offenders and sex offenders with child victims who are under the supervision of Probation and Parole, requiring them to remain inside their home with outside lights turned off beginning at 6 p.m. Friday.

“Probation and Parole Officers will be out on the streets on Halloween night to help ensure that sex offenders on probation keep a safe distance from children and to provide an extra measure of protection to parents and kids who are out trick-or-treating,” Commissioner Coupe said.

In addition to requiring these designated offenders to remain inside their home, they are also prohibited from distributing candy, participating in Halloween-related activities, or displaying Halloween decorations. Designated homeless sex offenders under the supervision of Probation and Parole are required to report to the Probation and Parole Office in their county at 5:30 p.m., where they will remain until 9:00 p.m.

Teams of Probation and Parole officers will be out on the streets in each county tomorrow night conducting residence checks at the homes of designated sex offenders to ensure that they comply with these special Halloween conditions. Last year, teams of probation officers made more than 430 residence visits on Halloween night, and those checks resulted in 6 offenders being taken into custody for violating the terms of their probation.

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