Sex offender site aims to enhance awareness
Posted: 07/28/05 - 12:54:09 am MDT
The Idaho Press-Tribune
Crime: Online database combines offender registry with mapping application to show residents nearby listingsBy Tammie Knauff - Idaho Press-Tribune
NAMPA -- A new online site gives Idaho residents an easy way to see if any sex offenders live in their neighborhoods.Orbizon Inc., a Web development company in Orem, Utah, developed the site three months ago and launched it with Utah at the beginning of July. Idaho's sex offender registry was added on Sunday.
The site links each official state sex offender registry -- Idaho's is maintained and updated by the Idaho State Police -- with a Google-generated map. The company pinpoints each sex offender's last known address on a map using the state information.
By passing the cursor over the map pinpoints, users can find out more about the offender or link to the state Web site with more information about the person's crime. Caldwell Police Chief Bob Sobba said the service offers an advantage in making residents more aware of potential sexual predators who live nearby."Anything that increases awareness is beneficial," Sobba said.The ISP official registry has been online for some time. It allows users to view sex offender information for every county in the state, but it is not mapped the way the sophisticated Orbizon site is.Mark Olsen, spokesman for Orbizon, said the company's owner wanted to make it easier for people to find out how many sex offenders reside in their neighborhoods.Olsen said the database will update as often as each state updates its information.Orbizon has contacted every state. In addition to Utah and Idaho, Wyoming, Mississippi, Montana, Hawaii, Arizona, Rhode Island, Kentucky, North Dakota and Delaware have been added to the site. Some states have not yet responded. The company suspended access to Utah because the state's online database was not accurate."We want there to be one place for people to find information," Olsen said. "We hope this will help prevent any future abuse by convicted offenders."Olsen said the firm aims to eventually list as many states as it can. Orbizon considers it a free public service, but it is looking for sponsors."We've had a great response," Olsen said.
The Idaho Press-Tribune
Crime: Online database combines offender registry with mapping application to show residents nearby listingsBy Tammie Knauff - Idaho Press-Tribune
NAMPA -- A new online site gives Idaho residents an easy way to see if any sex offenders live in their neighborhoods.Orbizon Inc., a Web development company in Orem, Utah, developed the site three months ago and launched it with Utah at the beginning of July. Idaho's sex offender registry was added on Sunday.
The site links each official state sex offender registry -- Idaho's is maintained and updated by the Idaho State Police -- with a Google-generated map. The company pinpoints each sex offender's last known address on a map using the state information.
By passing the cursor over the map pinpoints, users can find out more about the offender or link to the state Web site with more information about the person's crime. Caldwell Police Chief Bob Sobba said the service offers an advantage in making residents more aware of potential sexual predators who live nearby."Anything that increases awareness is beneficial," Sobba said.The ISP official registry has been online for some time. It allows users to view sex offender information for every county in the state, but it is not mapped the way the sophisticated Orbizon site is.Mark Olsen, spokesman for Orbizon, said the company's owner wanted to make it easier for people to find out how many sex offenders reside in their neighborhoods.Olsen said the database will update as often as each state updates its information.Orbizon has contacted every state. In addition to Utah and Idaho, Wyoming, Mississippi, Montana, Hawaii, Arizona, Rhode Island, Kentucky, North Dakota and Delaware have been added to the site. Some states have not yet responded. The company suspended access to Utah because the state's online database was not accurate."We want there to be one place for people to find information," Olsen said. "We hope this will help prevent any future abuse by convicted offenders."Olsen said the firm aims to eventually list as many states as it can. Orbizon considers it a free public service, but it is looking for sponsors."We've had a great response," Olsen said.
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