Sex OffendersWednesday, July 29, 2009
iPhone app finds registered sex offenders

Advertised as a way to "turn the tables," a new iPhone application helps users locate registered sex offenders.

The "Offender Locator," currently ranked as the fourth most popular paid application in Apple's iTunes store, connects users to national and state government sex offender lists.

Users can select a specific zip code or their current location and see registered sex offenders who live nearby. More detailed information appears as well, including the name, physical description, committed crimes and mug shot of a registered offender. The program displays sex offender names as a list and overlays them on a map.

Laws in many states limit where convicted sex offenders can live, and requires to register their address with a public database. Such laws have been criticized as being so restrictive that they force offenders underground.

A free, "lite" version of the 99 cents application is available, but limits sex offender results to three. The program is also available for the Blackberry for $2.99.

Versions of the program on the developer's website and Facebook are free and give users more add-ons. Users can set up voice message and text alerts to contact them when a sex offender registers within five miles of the center of a designated zip code.

See a video of how the program works here.

By Megan Chan
Technology Live: News, digital cameras, HDTV, desktops, laptops, video games and more - USATODAY.com

__________________
"Out of the crooked timber of humanity, nothing entirely straight can be built." -Immanuel Kent

For people who are concerned for their children's safety, this probably would be a much welcomed app.

__________________
Don't ever take my kindness as weakness, believe me when I say that.

I am for it. I want more laws (enforced laws) to protect our children from these monsters. I don't agree with vigilante mind-sets, but I have felt a very strong desire to rip out the throat of someone that I found out was a convicted child molester. Registered? So what. He was still interacting with his neighbors children and they were all unaware. And, when you tell them, what happens? They all want to suddenly burn this "nice" man's house down...

Think before you leave your children unguarded with another adult. You don't know anyone THAT well.

__________________
I have learned that stress is caused by saying "no problem" when you really mean "no chance".