State law allows most offenders to participate in Halloween traditions

Many people think their children are protected from all convicted sex offenders in South Carolina at Halloween, but the truth is that most offenders are allowed to participate in Halloween traditions that often bring offenders and children to within inches of one another.

“No state law prohibits all offenders from participating, only those on supervised release through the state’s parole and probation department,” Horry County Sheriff’s Sgt. Lori Avant said.

Avant, who also runs the county’s sex offender registry and enforces the county’s sex offender laws, said many people don’t know the entire truth about Halloween and convicted sex offenders.

The South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services has informed convicted offenders under the department’s supervision that it is against the law to participate in Halloween activities.

SCDPPPS officials have offenders statewide under a curfew from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m., supervised offenders cannot have any outside lights on, and are prohibited from participating in Halloween carnivals or parties, according to a release from the SCDPPPS.

The department said the curfew will be enforced, “By spot, on-site residence checks, phone calls, and drive-bys,” and officials plan to perform checks in all 46 South Carolina counties.

Here is a county-by-county break down of registered offenders who do not fall under the prohibitions and the number who are on SCDPPPS supervision:

Horry County: 74 PPP/total registered: 595          
Florence County: 55 PPP/total registered: 316
Georgetown County: 23 PPP/total registered 146
Williamsburg County: 18 PPP/total registered (N/A)
Darlington County: 12 PPP/total registered 145
Marion County: 8 PPP/total registered 81
Marlboro County: 7 PPP/total registered 72
Chesterfield County: 6 PPP/total registered 117
Dillon County: 6 PPP/total registered 56

There are 1,532 total registered sex offender in the counties that make up the News13 viewing area and 209 offenders in the same area are on SCDPPPS supervision.