Sen. Trent Garner’s work on display in this news release:

 

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The Arkansas Department of Corrections, Division of Community Correction Sex Offender Services, coordinated a massive, statewide Halloween home visit effort on Saturday and Sunday. More than 185 Parole/Probation Officers made unannounced visits to the homes of 1,224 sex offenders to make sure they were in compliance with state laws prohibiting their activities. Halloween lock-ins for sex offenders, organized by the Division in previous years, were not possible because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Arkansas families celebrated Halloween during the weekend for the third time since the enaction of Act 463, which bars certain sex offenders from participating in Halloween-related activities.

State laws limiting sex offenders from participating in Halloween activities are in affect two weeks before and two weeks after Halloween. Level 3 and 4 sex offenders who violate Act 463 restrictions may be charged with a Class D felony, serving up to 6 years in jail and a fine up to $10,000.

Act 463 bans these offenders from handing out candy to minors, participating in trick-or-treating and attending events involving wearing costumes or handing out candy to children. Sex offenders identified as high risk must remain at home on Halloween and are required to post signs warning that children are not to trick-or-treat at their residences.

Jennifer Dean, Division Sex Offender Services Manager, reported a 92 percent overall compliance rate from the weekend home visits. 113 offenders were found to be in violation, with violations including failure to register as sex offenders, Halloween decoration violations and failure to display no trick-or-treater doorhangers.  Efforts are ongoing to bring non-compliant offenders into compliance and, in some cases, to sanction them for violations.

Here’s the law, should you be interested in particulars. It makes no mention of door-hangers, BTW.

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