Gaithersburg 2019 Halloween Sex Offender Safety Info, Map

GAITHERSBURG, MD — As little ghosts and goblins gear up for their big night of trick-or-treating, parents may want to check the state sex offender registry.

The Maryland sex offender registry search tool allows users to zero in on their neighborhood. And the database contains the names, offenses, and last known addresses of the state's registered sexual offenders and predators.

To make it easier for parents and concerned residents, Patch has created a sex offender map for Gaithersburg (embedded at the bottom of this post).

Below, readers can learn more about predators and the Maryland sex offender registry.

Most predators aren't strangers, experts say
Law enforcement officials and researchers caution that the registries can only play a limited role in preventing child sexual abuse; and they stress that most perpetrators aren't strangers to children. The U.S. Department of Justice, which oversees the National Sex Offender Public Website, estimates that only about 10 percent of perpetrators of child sexual abuse are strangers to the child.

Three-tier system
There are three tiers of sexual offenders in Maryland.

Tier I: It's the least serious of the three tiers. Sex offenders are on the list for 15 years and must register in person with a local law enforcement agency every six months. Tier one offenses include possession of child pornography, travel with intent to engage in illicit conduct, and video surveillance or "peeping" without the victim's permission.

Tier II: They are on the sex offender registry for 25 years and must register in person with a local law enforcement agency every six months. Tier two offenses include distribution of child pornography, sexual solicitation of a minor, and third-degree sex offenses.

Tier III: They are on the sex offender registry for life and must register in person with a local law enforcement agency every three months. Tier three offenses include false imprisonment of a minor, rape or attempted rape, sexual abuse of a minor, and child kidnapping.

**NOTE: While this information is available to the public, state officials say people cannot use this information to "unlawfully injure, harass, or commit a crime against any individual named in the registry or residing or working at any reported address."

SEE ALSO:

• Sex Offender Advocates Object To Local Mapping Of Registered Sex Criminals
• Why Patch Publishes Sex Offender Registry Maps