sex offender in our neighborhood! (Houston, Dallas: section 8, real estate, apartment)

[amymaha]

Originally Posted by galore

The vast majority of sex offenders offends their own family members. I'd keep an eye on them before worrying about the remote chance a registered sex offender attacks your kids.
And as pot_roast mentioned, they are everywhere. Chill out.

Do you have children?????? I'm assuming not. It's dangerous to give advice on how PARENTS should react to potential child molesters/sex offenders living right in their neighborhood/community. This comment calls for an apology!

A childhood friend I grew up with was watched by a child molester for over a year. He would call the familie's home and site what my friend was wearing that day and that he saw her on the playground with friends. This happened in a very affluent neighborhood. As a result she had to be with a family member at all times (parents changed their work schedules) and my friend was traumatized to say the least. The predetor had NO connection to the family, just a sick man praying on children at the local elem. school.

Educate yourself, don't judge and please be cautious with your words. Put yourself in her shoes.............she's new to town, no family or friends with molesters all around, alone the majority of the day with young children- how would you feel???????????

I feel sick to my stomache when I look at the photos at watchdog.com, but then again I have two beautiful young daughters.........I can't imagine.

[amymaha]

Forgot to add........my current zip code in the city where I reside has 0 sex offenders listed. One of the "nice" areas we are looking at in Dallas has over 200 listed. We have reasons to be concerned!!!!!

[galore]

Originally Posted by amymaha

Do you have children?????? I'm assuming not. It's dangerous to give advice on how PARENTS should react to potential child molesters/sex offenders living right in their neighborhood/community. This comment calls for an apology!

How preposterous. You are giving advice too, if you haven't noticed. What a ridiculous demand for an apology.

If you want to live a life in fear, go ahead. The boogeyman is out there to get you and your children. Also, a REGISTERED sex offender is under scrutiny already. Be afraid of the not-registered, anonymous ones. Also those people have cars. Do you think a (non-relative) sex offender preys on children in his/her neighborhood only? If I were one, I'd hop in my car and check out a park in a "safe" neighborhood, where parents are oblivious instead and where police wouldn't think about _me_ because I don't live there.

Also don't forget that your parent/spouse/minister/sibling is vastly more likely to molest your child than a stranger.

I find it irresponsible to freak out over a remote danger but to apparently ignore that a person you and your child trusts is far more likely to cause harm. Attitudes like that give a blind eye to the real danger and harm most affected children.

[galore]

Originally Posted by amymaha

A childhood friend I grew up with was watched by a child molester for over a year. He would call the familie's home and site what my friend was wearing that day and that he saw her on the playground with friends.

So, was he a REGISTERED sex offender? Because if not, I fail to see how this is relevant to this thread. If he was, I am surprised he wasn't arrested immediately, given that he actually stalked this family.

Of course, if you notice some creep stalking your children, you should not chill out. Duh! I can't believe how people selectively comprehend. I _never_ said to chill out over your child's safety.

I said to chill out over the discovery that there are registered sex offenders living in your neighborhood. Simply for the fact that this is extremely common in a metro area. The original poster sounded shocked to have learned this bit of reality and appeared to believe that she ended up in some exceptionally dangerous wicked place of DFW.

[FarNorthDallas]

There are also registered sex offenders attending or who have attended high schools around town.

[PApisces]

The problem with the term "Sex offender" is that it can be something as simple as "peeing in public" or solicitation of a prostitute. I'm not saying those are positive attributes, but, those people are nothing to lose sleep over and pose no danger to society. I think our society has become far too paranoid as an OP posted in this thread. I am not saying that known pedaphiles should be allowed to walk about freely unwatched, but, a "happy medium" must be found.

[bookworm2768]

Ok I didn't realize what a hornet's nest of disagreement this would stir up.

Galore, thank you, but I don't think you understand the situation as some other posters do. I'm going to rephrase my original question :

Obviously in all towns/ cities/ vast gargantuan metroplexes certain areas are known to have more crime than others. Perhaps this is due to the economic segregation, race related stuff, gang presence or just plain something in the water but it does exist.

I know nothing about this town except that the school district (CFBISD) is one which might be best for my son. Ergo, we probably will buy within the school district.

IF there are certain areas of the town (Carrollton NOT Dallas) that I should avoid buying in, I'd like to know. When you move from a town to a city the signs of a bad neighborhood do not hold from one to another. i.e what would be considered a dump in Carmel Indiana is, I've been told, fairly nice housing here.

So, I'm turning to my current source of advice, this forum, to ask where to look within the Carrollton Farmer's Branch school district for our potential new home. Someone mentioned the area around Rainwater elementary. Thank you. I drove by and loved the homes just north of Frankford on Eisenhower. They are more what I am used to. I'll also be checking out homes in Las Colinas.

As to the Pedophiliac/ sex offender issue, I don't think anyone wants to be living next to a Pedophiliac. My husband grew up in a neighborhood where one of the neighbors was known to be this odd guy who watched the kids playing every day. Then one fine evening he ups and kidnaps one of the boys; abuses and murders him.

I agree this world is going to hell in a handbasket where the safety of our kids is concerned. The ways of keeping them safe in my old town may not be the same as the ones here. Thanks to everyone who offered helpful advice and tips on what to do. I have called a few home alarm companies and am putting a lock on the fence to the back yard.

[KewGee]

Originally Posted by PApisces

The problem with the term "Sex offender" is that it can be something as simple as "peeing in public" or solicitation of a prostitute. I'm not saying those are positive attributes, but, those people are nothing to lose sleep over and pose no danger to society. I think our society has become far too paranoid as an OP posted in this thread. I am not saying that known pedaphiles should be allowed to walk about freely unwatched, but, a "happy medium" must be found.

Have you ever viewed WatchDog? I have never read anything about a sex offender on the site cited for urinating in public or solicitation of a prostitute. I will speculate that most of the people on the site are dangers to children and teens.

[Rabbitwarren]

Check out yellodyno.com - "Non-fearful, musically-based products and programs build confidence and educate children on how to protect themselves from child abuse, abduction," etc. It has made a huge difference in how I've discussed these issues with my girls. The songs are catchy- even our two year old sings along to, "Take three steps back and run like the wind..." I play the cd in our car sometimes and I purchased the dvd as well. It does NOT teach stranger danger but, rather, what a child should do in uncomfortable situations. You go where the money is (cashier) if you get lost in a store; you find a kind looking mommy with children if you're out at a park or anyplace where you feel unsafe. Teaching our children to fear strangers isn't the best course. Teaching them to choose safe ones when they need help, is. Great lessons, all of them.

A

[hamiltonpl]

What pedophiles do is disgusting, abhorrent, and makes me want to punch them in the throat.

However, these people have served their time in prison. They are registered with the City and County, and State. Sex offenders have to check in every year for a new photo. They routinely get their office and home computers searched by police. They have to submit to psychological tests and lie detectors about their sexual proclivities. All of this, for the rest of their lives. Frankly, they are the most watched members of the criminal population -- even after they have served time in prison for their crimes.

"Chill out" are strong words. But it is the right attitude. Be safe, but be smart. The sex offender website is really good for choosing who your friends are. Obviously, don't let your kids go over to the pedophile's house. Without the website, you wouldn't know better.

Simply because someone whom lives two miles away has committed a crime in the past, doesn't meant that he's going to get you. Especially when he is extensively monitored by the government. Additionally, just because no one within 2 miles has committed a sex crime, you shouldn't have a false sense of security.

Different states have different reporting standards. Simply because your Indiana zip code doesn't have any sex offenders registered, doesn't mean that there aren't any sex offenders. They might not be registered. Or they might not have to report after a certain number of years.

Two sex offenders within 2 miles is not a terrible number. Regrettably, there are many sex offenders. Dallas is a relatively dense area. Whether you're in Highland Park or Highland Village, you'll live within 2 miles of a sex offender. It's going to happen. You can be safe. But an irrational fear of sex offenders will drive you crazy. Chill out.