Enhanced sex-offender site to include maps, search options
Enhanced sex-offender site to include maps, search options You can even sign up to receive e-mail alerts. By Mike Smithof The Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS — People will be able to view Internet maps that detail where convicted sex offenders live in Indiana under an enhanced registry the state plans to make operational Monday. The Web-based program — www.indianasheriffs.org — consolidates two separate existing registries and can be searched by an offender’s name, city, county or ZIP code. People can view maps covering areas ranging from 20 miles to one mile and see icons showing where offenders live, and in some cases work. They can click on an icon and see pictures of offenders and get their profile, including home addresses and information about their crimes. It also will indicate the location of where the offender works if that information is known. Gov. Mitch Daniels said it would be an “accurate, current, user-friendly” site that also will have links to a national sex-offender registry run by the U.S. Department of Justice. “It will mean that in one place, with data as complete as we can make it and maintain it with the help of our friends in law enforcement, any citizen can know what sexual offenders live anywhere near them, work anywhere near them, can trace and track people by name if there’s a specific person they’re concerned about, and can take self-protective steps,” Daniels said. He said the new registry also would help police be vigilant in trying to prevent offenders from committing more sex crimes. The current Sheriffs Association Web site allows people to type in the name of counties, cities and streets, but then it just provides a list of people’s names registered in those areas. It sometimes includes numerous names, and to find out their addresses and other information, people must click on each name. Another new feature to be administered by the attorney general’s office will allow program users to register for e-mail notification when registered sex offenders move nearby. That function is expected to be active soon. Attorney General Steve Carter said that would give people one more layer of protection. More than 400 personnel from sheriffs’ offices were trained to use the new registry over the past month, and sheriffs will maintain the offender records. Daniels said legislation endorsed by a Senate committee this week would require even more tracking of offenders. Provisions in one bill would require some sex offenders to register with law enforcement earlier and provide information about where they work or attend school in addition to where they live. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Online To learn more about who is on the local sex-offender registry, go to The News-Sentinel’s sex-offender database online at www.news-sentinel.com. http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/news/local/13680056.htm