COLUMBIA, SC (WCBD/WBTW) – The South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services on Thursday announced it will enact a curfew for offenders under its supervision for a sex offense.

Halloween rules for sex offenders on probation, parole and other forms of community supervision under the jurisdiction of the department include a curfew effective from 5:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. statewide on Halloween day, Thursday, October 31.

The curfew applies to all persons under supervision for a sex offense. They said it does not apply to all registered sex offenders because some are no longer on probation or parole and therefore not under the department’s jurisdiction.

The curfew will be enforced through agent surveillance techniques in all 46 counties in the state. Some counties will require offenders to go to a central location.

Sex offenders have been notified there will be no lights on outside their houses; no candy distribution; no participating in Halloween parties or carnivals and they must stay in their homes and can’t go into the street.

Last year, 165 Probation, Parole and Pardon agents and staff performed a total of 366 sex offender residence checks and another 166 landline phone checks statewide.

Another 201 offenders were required to go to a central place for curfew in some counties.

There were six arrests for curfew violations.

The department said there is no reason to be overly alarmed on Halloween night. They say it is perfectly okay to let your children enjoy a night of supervised trick-or-treating.

To search the SC Sex Offender Registry, visit SLED’s website here.

LATEST HEADLINES: