Hundreds of Missouri sex offenders are under strict orders to isolate themselves from trick or treaters tonight. The state board of probation and parole has told sex offenders under its supervision they have to stay inside their homes between 5 and 10-30 tonight unless they have a justifiable reason to leave. Their porch light has to be off. They have to post a sign that they have been given saying "No candy or treats at his residence." And they cannot try to engage in any kind of contact with children or go anyplace where there might be children to take part in any Halloween activities.
Board Chairman Steve Long says local police will help enforce the orders. But he says the board of probation and parole does not supervise many with sex offenses on their records. They’ve completed their terms and their probations.They do have to be registered, however. Long says police know who they are and can be checking on them throughout the evening.
He says the board had similar restrictions in place last year and there was only one infraction–He was out of his house at an activity and the violation did not result in any negative consequences..A lawsuit had challenged enforcement of the standards. A federal court has blocked a lower-court ruling that would have kept the standards from going into effect in some places.