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Madigan: Parents Should Check Sex Offender Registries Before Kids' Trick-Or-Treating

CHICAGO (STMW) -- Parents are being urged to check sex offender registries and consult with local law enforcement officials before sending their children out to trick-or-treat on Halloween night.

Illinois law bars sex offenders under court supervision from handing out Halloween candy to children, according to a release from state Attorney General Lisa Madigan.

But that doesn't mean parents shouldn't exercise an abundance of caution, according to Madigan.

"I encourage families to check the registry before they head out on Halloween to help them plan safe trick-or-treating routes for their children," Madigan said in the release.

Local law enforcement agencies are one resource that can be consulted to determine safe routes for children, the release states.

Throughout the week, the attorney general's office sent out crews helping local police agencies make sure convicted sex offenders were properly registered.

The state currently has more than 26,000 registered sex offenders.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2013. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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