Sacramento, California - California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) parole agents contacted 1255 sex-offender parolees during compliance checks or searches as part of the 22nd annual Operation Boo Child Safety Project on Halloween night. “Our thanks go out to the hundreds of parole agents and local law enforcement personnel, many of whom volunteer their time to help ensure that California’s children can enjoy a safer trick-or-treat experience free from sexual predators,” said Bobby Haase, Deputy Director of the Division of Adult Parole Operations.
Fifty-two parolees were found to be in violation of their conditions of parole. New charges were filed against 4 of the sex-offender parolees contacted. Pornography was confiscated from sixteen of the parolees checked on Halloween night. Seven were found with narcotics. Five parolees were caught with weapons.
Operation Boo also offered a free downloadable brochure. The Parent’s Guide has information to keep children safe all year. It features these components:
- Not Just Stranger Danger: The California Department of Justice‘s Megan’s Law website says 90% of child victims know their offender, with almost half of the offenders being a family member. Of sexual assaults against people age 12 and up, approximately 80% of the victims know the offender. CDCR listed several website locations with tips on how to talk to children about dangerous behaviors by any adult, not just strangers.
- Parent Empowerment: Links to important tools were included to help keep children safe, such as the Megan’s Law website that helps the public pinpoint where sex-offenders live so children can stay clear of them.
For more information about Operation Boo please visit: www.cdcr.ca.gov