Dover – As children and families canvass Delaware neighborhoods during Halloween trick or treating this Saturday, Probation Officers will be out in force to keep high-risk offenders off the streets.
“Even with COVID-related precautions this year, many Delaware kids will be going door-to-door in our communities on Halloween evening,” Department of Correction Commissioner Claire DeMatteis said. “During those hours the DOC has established additional restrictions on high-risk individuals and our Probation Officers will be on patrol to enforce curfews to keep this family-focused event safe for everybody.”
Each year on Halloween night the DOC imposes special restrictions on all high-risk sex offenders and sex offenders with child victims who are under Probation and Parole supervision. They require designated offenders to remain inside their homes with outside lights turned off beginning at 6:00 p.m. and prohibit them from distributing candy, participating in Halloween-related activities, or displaying Halloween decorations. Designated homeless sex offenders under Department of Correction supervision are required to report to their local Probation and Parole Office or other designated location and remain there during the evening hours as a public safety measure.
“More than four dozen Probation Officers will deploy across Delaware on Saturday night to conduct nearly 400 residence and curfew checks to keep offenders on track and support our public safety mission,” said Rick Figurelle, Statewide Probation and Parole Director.
The DOC’s Bureau of Community Corrections provides community-based supervision, programs, and treatment services to approximately 12,000 adult offenders in Delaware.
Source: DOC