Halloween is right around the corner, meaning the kids will be out in our neighborhoods, knocking on strangers' doors. I think it's imperative that parents and guardians are informed of some of the dangers, so they can be prepared and we can have a safe holiday.  One of the major things to be aware of is where registered sex offenders live.  The last thing we want is for an innocent situation like trick-or-treating, to turn into a nightmare due to a sexual offender plotting on a child.  With that said, here are the counties where the most registered sex offenders live.  If you are able to avoid taking your child to these areas, that would be ideal, but at least you should be aware that you may be heading into a potentially dangerous area.

In New York, a sex offender must register his or her name, all aliases, birth date, sex, race, height, weight, eye color, driver's license number, home address and/or place where they will reside, and internet accounts with internet access providers with the Division of Criminal Justice Services.  They also must provide authorities with a photo and fingerprints.  There are three levels used to designate sex offenders in the state:

Level 1 = low risk of repeat offense
Level 2 = moderate risk of repeat offense
Level 3 = high risk of repeat offense
Level P = offender is registered but risk of repeat offense has not yet been determined

In New York, there are 42,549 registered sex offenders total - 14,664-level 1, 16,168-level 2, 10,719-level 3, and 998 whose level has not been determined yet.

Here are the 15 counties with the most registered sex offenders as of October 5, 2021:

County          Level 1           Level 2           Level 3      Not Yet Determined  Total

Source: Division of Criminal Justice Services

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