Operation Boo

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is expanding “Operation Boo.”  Operation Boo has a 17 year history of helping  protect children  from sexual predators during Halloween.  CDCR’s Special GPS Units and Parole Agents, aided with support from the Attorney General’s Office SAFE team and other law enforcement partners, will enforce the traditional compliance checks on known sex offenders to make sure they’re staying away from trick-or-treaters. In fact, this year Operation Boo is bigger and better than ever.  The 2011 Operation Boo is adding a Parent Education Component (beginning October 24) and special transient sex-offender curfew centers in some regions and targeted transient sex-offender compliance checks in other regions on Halloween night.

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The Tradition

CDCR has been conducting and gradually expanding the traditional Operation Boo since 1994.  Now, in its 18th year, Operation Boo is held in each of the four California regions on Halloween night. Known sex-offenders supervised by CDCR are monitored closely by agents from the Division of Adult Parole Operations (DAPO) to ensure that they don’t attempt to attract children to their homes.  Among the Special Conditions of Parole that are imposed on sex offenders for Halloween night:

Special Halloween Conditions of Parole for Sex Offender Registrants

• A 5pm to 5 am curfew during which parolees must remain indoors;
• All exterior lights of their homes must be turned off so that it looks as if no one is home, which discourages children from approaching;
• No offering of Halloween candy and no Halloween decorations are allowed;
• During the curfew, sex offender parolees can only open the door to respond to law enforcement, such as parole agents who are patrolling their caseload to ensure compliance.

What’s New with BOO 2011

This year, Operation Boo will also include two additional features:

Parent Empowerment:  To further protect California children, free downloadable brochures with helpful information and links will be available on the internet to help parents:

• Share a fun and non-threatening Halloween activity with their children which will allow them to discuss ‘dangerous behavior in adults.
• Have the whole family take part in creating “Operation Boo Parent Patrol" Badges for the parents to wear on Halloween night to send a message to predators that they’re being watched, and let everyone on the trick-or-treat trail know that parent awareness is key to keeping children safe on Halloween night and anytime.
• Choose from among several tips by well-known organizations and experts for discussing personal safety for children.
• Use easy internet links to survey their community and learn where sex-offenders may live in their area so you can steer clear of those locations and report any illegal activity you may see.

“Operation Boo” Information Guide for Parents and Children:  Parents, please click here to view and print out this informative guide, complete with “Parent Patrol Badge” coloring page. – PDF Handout

Transient Sex Offender Monitoring: Since a significant number of sex-offenders are also homeless, special centers will be set up for Halloween Night in most regions of the state. Sex-offenders will have to report to these Transient Sex-offender Curfew Centers to abide by the Halloween night curfew under the watchful eye of law enforcement officers.