It's Halloween, and that means it's time for another round-up of "cracking-down-on-sex-offenders" stories:
Washington Post: Md. Pays a Holiday Checkup on Child Sex Offenders
WISC (Madison, WI): Sex Offenders Banned From Halloween Activities
Orlando Sentinel: Sex offenders are warned to avoid trick-or-treaters
The State (Columbia, SC): Halloween curfew set for sex offenders
CNN: Sex offenders locked down, in the dark for Halloween
The list goes on and on.
I've said it before, and I know this might not be a popular opinion, but I think this is really just overblown hysteria. Sex offenders aren't more threatening to kids on October 31st than October 30th or November 1st. And there's still never been a documented case of a child being molested while trick-or-treating.
Must we quarantine these sex offenders, who have already served their time in jail? Must we demand that they turn their lights off on Halloween? And make them post "No Candy" signs? And require them to stay indoors? And prohibit them from throwing parties? Or corral them under police control?
Zach Patton -- Executive Editor. Zach has written about a range of topics, including social policy issues and urban planning and design. Originally from Tennessee, he joined GOVERNING as a staff writer in 2004. He received the 2011 Jesse H. Neal Award for Outstanding Journalism
E-mail: zpatton@governing.com 
Written and compiled by staff writers and editors, GOVERNING View is an on-the-ground, and sometimes behind-the-scenes, look at the topics we're covering in print and online. From notes on what's up in statehouses, county courthouses and city halls, to encounters with people, places and things, GOVERNING View is a window into the side of state and local government you don't always see.
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