(Media ride-along registration deadline is today Monday, October 24.)
SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Division of Adult Parole Operations – aided by law enforcement partners statewide – is preparing to conduct the 23rd annual Halloween children’s safety project, “Operation Boo.”
Beginning today, the media is invited to partner with CDCR in spreading the word about how parents and guardians can help keep kids safe by using our online parent empowerment brochure. The Operation Boo Parent Patrol Online Guide gives suggestions for non-threatening ways to teach children how to spot and avoid potential sexual predators. The brochure also offers links to help parents pinpoint and avoid residences of sex offenders when plotting their children’s trick-or-treat paths.
The Tradition
CDCR has been conducting and expanding Operation Boo since 1994. Operation Boo is conducted throughout California on Halloween night. State-supervised sex offenders* are monitored closely to ensure that they don’t attempt to attract children to their homes. The special conditions of parole imposed on sex offenders for Halloween night include:
- A 5 p.m.-to-5 a.m. curfew during which parolees must remain indoors;
- A ban on exterior lights on at their homes (to discourage children from approaching);
- A ban on offering Halloween candy and a ban on Halloween decorations;
Sex-offender parolees may open the door only to respond to law enforcement, such as parole agents checking compliance.
**There are almost 114,000 sex-offenders statewide in California; CDCR is only responsible for supervising around 5,860 of them, about 4% of the total sex-offender population in the state. For more information, please visit:https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/parole/sex-offender-facts/
Boo 2016
In addition to the traditional compliance checks, this year’s Operation Boo will include two features added statewide in 2011.
Parent Empowerment: Parental empowerment is key to protecting California children from sexual predators year round. That’s why CDCR is again promoting a free downloadable brochure with helpful information and links for parents that includes:
o How to share a fun and non-threatening Halloween activity with their children to allow discussion of dangerous behavior in adults.
o Tips by well known organizations and experts for discussing personal safety for children.
o Internet links to help survey the community and learn where sex offenders may live so parents and children can steer clear and report any illegal activity observed.
o Operation Boo Parent Patrol badges for Halloween night to send a message to predators that they’re being watched, and to let everyone on the trick-or-treat trail know that parent awareness is key to keeping children safe.
Halloween Night Transient Sex Offender Monitoring: Since some sex offenders are homeless, special reporting centers will be set up in parole regions in areas where such offenders typically congregate. Transient sex offenders will be ordered to report to a center to spend the curfew under supervision. The centers will be part of the Halloween night media tours.
Per a prior news advisory, the deadline for media registration is today, Monday, October 24. Spots are limited and vary by region.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 24, 2016
CONTACT: Luis Patino
(916) 445-4950
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