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By News Staff | October 22nd 2009 12:00 AM | 8 comments | Print | E-mail | Track Comments
Sex crimes against pre-teen children are no higher during Halloween than at any other times of the year and diverting law enforcement places people at more risk, according to a study in Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment.  

That's not to say parents shouldn't use caution or supervision but the findings raise questions about the wisdom of law enforcement practices aimed at dealing with a problem that does not appear to exist.

Using the National Incident-Base Reporting System, the study looked at more than 67,000 non-family sex offenses reported to law enforcement in 30 states across nine years. Taking into account such variables as time, seasonality and weekday periodicity, the researchers found no increased rate of sexual abuse during the Halloween season. Additionally, the number of reported incidences didn't vary before or after police procedures were implemented to prevent such abuse.

Research has found that the highest danger for children during the Halloween season was from pedestrian- motor vehicle accidents, not from sexual abuse by strangers. 

"It is important for policy makers to consider allocation of resources in light of the actual increased risks that exist in areas besides Halloween sex offender policies," the authors conclude. "Our findings indicated that sex crimes against children by nonfamily members account for 2 out of every 1,000 Halloween crimes, calling into question the justification for diverting law enforcement resources away from more prevalent public safety concerns."

Article: Mark Chaffin, Jill Levenson, Elizabeth Letourneau and Paul Stern, 'How Safe Are Trick-or-Treaters?: An Analysis of Child Sex Crime Rates on Halloween', SEX ABUSE 2009; 21; 363 originally published online Jul 6, 2009, DOI: 10.1177/1079063209340143

Comments

Perhaps this perception of sexual abuse offenses rising drastically during Halloween is related to the glamorization by media. I mean, it does look like a very promising premise to a movie when a serial murderer or in this case, a sexual offender uses the age old tradition of Halloween Trick-or-Treating to further his own agenda. You are absolutely right though. We must be vigilant and critical when deciphering the potential danger our children face during the Halloween season.

Another great article "Beware the Halloween bogeyman!" by: Karen Franklin, Ph.D.
http://tinyurl.com/yedd48r

@ Letsgetreal that was a great article and I hope all the parents who are letting their younger kids out on Halloween alone will think twice about it. There's so much opportunity for foul play during this night so make sure your young ones are very aware of this!

This is a GREAT site. Especially for the mothers who worry and "hoover" over their children.

"Not Every Country Bubblewraps Its Kids."

http://freerangekids.wordpress.com/page/2/

What concerns me is the fact that these state laws could violate some sex offenders 1st Amendment rights when related to freedom of religion.

Halloween is a religious holiday and was so way before capitalism decided to turn it into an orgy of profits. Those people who follow religions which recognize Halloween as a religious holiday are being denied their constitutional rights by states requiring they not decorate or be outside of their homes after dark.

Many of these religious ceremonies are held after dark thus the rights of these people are being violated and no one wants to point this out. I have the guts to point it out even if I don't approve of their behavior as sex offenders. No matter what you have done in your past, it does not give the government the right to make laws restricting your constitutional rights as laid down by our forefathers.

If we allow them this, what is to stop them from taking away rights that we ourselves hold near and dear?

There is a religious basis for some people for Halloween however, a true believer can practice anywhere. Including alone in their home. To even make the connection that a true practitioner would cause harm to another is against the tenants of any religion that is connected to all hallows eve or Halloween. I think that there is nothing worse than causing harm to a child. There is a relatively close neighbor that is a registered sexual predator. He was convicted of the charges against him and served time in jail. What reason on this earth would give him the right to decorate his house for Halloween? The only reason I can think of is to lure children. Trust me in spite of my religion and the time of year I will be sitting and making sure that this wretched man has his lights off and NO children grace his porch. That is of greater concern to me. And WHERE is the Constitution is it written that one person can take advantage of another without having to deal with the consequences? When you break laws you sign away bits of your freedom. Amazingly however, never enough. I served 20 years in the Army and trust me it was more restrictive than jail/prison. I did it willingly and dealt with it. The offenders and preditors don't seem to want to except responsibility for what they have done. Oh, that's right that is what they learned from defense lawyers.

I think the constitution was quite clear in its freedom of religion clause. And the fact is virtually all religions encourage group activities and there is a scientific basis showing that the practice of religion actually increases the social, caring aspects of the brain which would be beneficial in helping of sex offenders back into society.

I too think that the harm of a child is a horrible thing, I also think that to deny someone the benefit of the doubt concerning that time and age and spiritual growth can change even the most horrible of monster into a being of worth. Wtchywman I am taking the time to speak to you because you are on the path.

let it be know you are talking to a First One. i was first incarnated when the universe was young and have lived thousands of lifetimes and remember many of them. I was old when this planet was seeded with humanity and have seen things of horror that people on this world can't imagine. One never forgets when one's home world is destroyed by the arrogance of their species. As a member of the Afar I have to say that forgiving and helping these individuals are something you MUST do before you will be allowed to cease incarnating here and go to the next level of service we all will go to eventually.

This is my last lifetime here and I am doing everything I can to help humanity as a whole escape the tenth destruction that is building right now. Ten Trees! Ten ages! Ten times man has reached this point and destroyed himself by focusing on that which does not matter and ignoring that which does.

If it matters at one time i was a 3rd degree priest of Wicca until I learned exactly why the old religion was being brought back and by whom? perhaps you should do a little research, you might be concerned.

Your hear for one thing, one thing only and that is to grow in a positive manner. Holding those souls back who are at a particularly painful point of their learning process is not it. Your goal is to evolve yourself, not hold back others.

As to others who read this, don't bother flaming me, I'm older than your world it does not matter to me other than it pains me to see you harm yourself. At the very least give me the respect someone of age deserves and if you can do that, do yourself the favor of keeping your poison to yourself less you spend more time here making up for it by encouraging others to act in a manner they may not have except for peer pressure,.

This world has a lot of immature souls on it right now, and we Guardians have a duty to see they don't harm themselves or others. Meaning we watch sex offender, but we do not hinder them in their reason for being here as well, which is to learn. All souls make mistakes, all souls are eternal. Are we going to hold a mistake against them for eternity? Some of you at the moment might say yes, others will see the wisdom I speak and think about it. Its you I am really talking too.

There is a wonderful future ahead for you all if you make the right choices. I hope you do but I'll be long gone from he when that time comes. I really would like to see many more of you where i am going sooner rather than later, but either way eventually I will see you all again,

Sex Offenders Not a Halloween Scare
http://tinyurl.com/yha4xkg

We are manufacturing sex offenders by including people who are no threat to anyone and who have harmed no one. We've sparked undue paranoia and made it more difficult to identify the real sex offenders, the ones people should actually be concerned with

I believe the REAL Boogyman are the news media and politicians who use fear mongering for ratings and votes.

Happy Halloween. Watch the traffic."

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