County freeholder advises parents to review Megan's Law database

The end of the school year is a suggested time to check the Megan’s Law website for the latest information on registered sex offenders. The database lists current information on all convicted sex offenders who are residents of the Garden State.

Photo via Google
The database lists current information on all
convicted sex offenders in New Jersey.

“Children are home and will be spending more time outdoors enjoying the summer weather,” Ocean County Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari said in a press release. “For peace of mind, this is an ideal time to review the state’s sex offender list for any individuals that may be living in your community.”

Towns, counties, ZIP codes and even individual streets can be easily reviewed. More advanced searches allow users to input the names of convicted sex offenders or check only newer records.

“This only takes a few minutes and can make a big difference in keeping a child safe,” Vicari said.

According to the website, there are 264 registered sex offenders in Ocean County.

The registry is not a complete and comprehensive listing of every person who has ever committed any sex offense in New Jersey, nor does it make information about every sex offender living in New Jersey available on the Internet. In accordance with New Jersey law, individuals who have been convicted, adjudicated delinquent or found not guilty by reason of insanity for a sex offense must register under New Jersey’s Megan’s Law, the website states.

Vicari suggests individuals periodically check the Megan’s Law database throughout the year.

“It’s important to know what dangers a child may encounter when they travel to and from school,” he said. “It’s also essential that they learn to avoid strangers and how to react if they are approached by an adult they do not know.”

If a child is approached by a stranger in a car, they should be taught to run the opposite way, toward the rear of the car. This way, the driver will have to turn around before they can pursue the child, Vicari said.

The Megan’s Law database can be accessed through a link on the Ocean County Government Homepage at co.ocean.nj.us. The page can also be accessed directly at njsp.org/info/reg_sexoffend.html.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.