All it takes is a few clicks of your keyboard and you can use a popular social network to get information about sex offenders living in your neighborhood.
Facebook users can now access information about medium and high-risk sex offenders living near their homes, business and schools.
The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) has launched its Sex Offender Locator Application, which is accessible via the New York State Public Safety Facebook page.
DCJS maintains the state's sex offender registry and a registry subdirectory on the agency's website.
It provides information about Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders. The new Facebook application is designed to make this information more readily accessible.
"Knowledge is power. New Yorkers now have another way to access up-to-date information about sex offenders in their neighborhoods," DCJS Acting Commissioner Sean M. Byrne said. "With Halloween around the corner, parents now have another tool to learn where offenders live so they can ensure their children stay away from those locations, as well as strangers' homes. The Facebook app puts that important information at parents' fingertips, whether they are at home or on the go."
There are currently 32,994 registered sex offenders on the state's Sex Offender Registry: 12,473 Level 1 offenders; 11,685 Level 2 offenders; 8,163 Level 3 offenders; and 673 offenders whose risk level is pending. Click here to see county-by-county statistics.
"This new app leverages the power of social media to connect New Yorkers to an important resource that can help keep their families safe," said DCJS Deputy Commissioner Risa Sugarman, who also is director of the agency's Office of Sex Offender Management. "This tool makes the information available on the Registry much more dynamic and readily accessible, which will enhance community safety."
By law, the state can only provide information about Level 1 (low risk) offenders or those with a pending risk level through a toll-free number (1-800-262-3257); callers must have an individual's name and at least one other identifier (an exact address, date of birth, driver's license number or Social Security number) to learn if that person is a registered sex offender in New York.
Home address information about a Level 1 offender is limited to zip code. Complete home and work addresses, including street number and name, as well as municipality and zip code, are available for Level 2 and Level 3 offenders.
You can also sign up to receive alerts via e-mail, text, fax or telephone whenever those sex offenders move to, or from, a community of interest like your home, work or child's school. Click here to sign up for alerts.
