The Criminal Alert Network E-mail notification system, which alerts
registered Hoosiers of convicted sex offenders living in their
neighborhoods, is now operational.
According to a statement released by Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter,
the system syncs with the sex offender registry maintained by the Indiana
Sheriff’s Association to provide real-time updates for the public.
“Hoosiers are now able to trace the whereabouts of a sex offender in their
neighborhoods through a mapping and notification system that brings
information directly to them via their inbox,” Carter said. “The mapping
component is a quick and easy way to recognize if there is a registered
sexual offender living near the areas that your children frequent like
friends’ homes, neighborhoods, and local schools.”
To sign up for e-mail notifications, Hoosiers can visit the Indiana Attorney
General’s website at
www.attorneygeneral.IN.gov or register through the Indiana Sheriff’s
Association website at www.indianasheriffs.org
Registration requires basic
details such as full name, e-mail address, and mailing address.
Registrants will be asked to verify their address and establish the area
around the address for notifications, which ranges from half a mile up to 20
miles. Once registered, an e-mail verification link will be sent to the
registrant that must be activated in order to receive notifications. After
validating the account, the registrant will begin to receive e-mail
notifications when offenders move into the designated area that was
registered. There is no fee to register or receive notifications.
“As parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, one of the biggest jobs we
face is keeping our children out of harm’s way,” Carter said. “While we go
to great lengths to protect our children, the harsh truth is that danger
could be a few doors away in the form of a sexual predator. Knowing who our
neighbors are is vital to keeping our loved ones safe and this is one more
way we can enhance this knowledge.”
Registration is only necessary to receive the automatic e-mail
notifications. Searching for offenders is available without registration and
can be accessed through the Attorney General’s website and the Sheriff’s
Association’s. The Internet system provides for searches by the offender’s
name, city, county, and zip code.
Posted 5/22/2006
