From the Desk of Sheriff Chris Clinton:

I often receive calls and questions about sex offenders. These tend to occur when someone realizes that a neighbor is on the sex offender registry. Understandably, they are concerned about their family’s safety. The following information is provided in conjunction with the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association in the hope that it will help keep you informed and better able to take steps to keep yourself and your family safe.

Sheriffs’ offices are mandated by law to register sex offenders. These offenders are required to report to the sheriff’s office to register once a year, unless the offender is a predator, at which time he is required to register twice a year. The registration process includes collecting and verifying the offender’s registration information.

Although sheriffs’ offices manage the sex offender registry, they cannot track every movement. Therefore, citizen involvement is paramount. You – the citizen – must be aware of registered sex offenders who live or work in your community, and assume the responsibility of enhancing community safety and crime prevention.

Here are ways to become more involved.

• Research websites that provide registered sex offender information such as your local sheriff’s office website, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation http://gbi.georgia.gov/georgia-sex-offenderregistry and the family Watchdog at http://www.familywatchdog.us/.

• Understand the issues involved in sexual assault. Know the statistics. • Assume preventing sexual assault is everyone’s responsibility.

• Talk to your children about personal safety issues as they relate to child sexual abuse. Do this when you talk to your children about bike safety, crossing the street, or talking to strangers. It is, in many ways, just another personal safety rule about which children need to be aware.

• Increase your knowledge about risk reduction measures you can take to protect yourself.

• Invite your local law enforcement, probation/ parole department, rape crisis center, or child abuse prevention organization to a neighborhood discussion group to learn about the issue and to process people’s emotions.

• Get to know your neighbors.

• Organize neighborhood block watches, if desired, by your neighbors. • Do not wait until you are informed that a sex offender is living nearby to begin educating yourself and family on issues of sexual assault. • Find out what the statistics on child sexual abuse, adult sexual assault, offender arrest, and incarceration are in your community.

In Towns County, we keep a very close eye on sex offenders, but we cannot be everywhere all the time and we want you to be informed. If I can answer questions about any issue, please do
not hesitate to call upon us. We are only able to address the concerns we are made aware of. We stand, as always, eager to serve.