Sex offenders:
The searchable sex offender databases can be used to find registered offenders by name, address, ZIP Code, or by whether a given offender has properly registered with law enforcement officials. The database currently lists 1,627 names of sex offenders in Missouri who have not fulfilled the state’s registry requirements. In Illinois, that number is 1,494.

Readers who find registered sex offenders living near their homes should develop safety plans in advance of a potentially dangerous situation, said Lt. John Harper, commander of sex crimes and family violence unit for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

“To have a safety plan is real important,” he said. “Where do you go if there is someone following you?”

It’s also a good idea to make contact with city public affairs officers and neighborhood watch groups located across St. Louis City, Harper said. In St. Louis County, Detective John Manestar said people should get to know their local neighborhood’s police officers.

Both Harper and Manestar said parents should keep an open dialogue with their children about dangers in and around their neighborhoods.

“Make prudent decisions on how you interact with these people,” Harper said. “We can’t live in fear, but we can use that information to make good decisions and to help keep use safe.”

While the database provides some useful information about registered sex offenders, people should use that knowledge properly, said Manestar, who works in the sex offender registration and enforcement unit of the St. Louis County Police.

“We don’t want the public to use it as a method to harass or cause harm to people, especially those who are compliant,” he said. “The things we’re most concerned about are the unregistered sex offenders, like Michael Devlin.”

Links:
Preventing abduction:
http://www.isp.state.il.us/crime/caparentsguide.cfm

Advice on safety and games and quizzes for kids:
http://www.mcgruff.org/Advice/

St. Louis County Police Department’s resources for parents:
http://www.stlouisco.com/police/brochures.html