Search Engine Marketing

Family Watchdog Sex Offender Search

Loren Baker

03/3/06

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Family Watchdog Sex Offender Search

Family Watchdog is a new site launched by the National Coalition of Victims in Action which uses a local map search function to display sex offenders in specific areas. By using Family Watchdog, parents are able to enter their address or zip code into the site and the result is a Google powered map marking the addresses of convicted sex offenders and where they are working.

The local search service is free and is a Google Maps mashup which is powered by the sex offender registries of 44 states, created by Family Watchdog founder Steve Roddel of Indiana, who began the site in 2005. Family Watchdog has received the blessing of Oprah Winfrey, which helped it grow to achieve over 4 million visitors a month – which may make the service the most popular Google Maps powered mashup online.

“This service exists for one reason, and one reason only,” Roddel explains. “I was tired of reading stories about missing 9 and 10-year-old children killed by registered sex offenders and decided to do something about it. I pray for the day when our service is no longer necessary, and look forward to shutting it down. Until then, I hope Family Watchdog is every family’s best friend.”

Family Watchdog also offers a sexual offender notification service which alerts members via email whenever a convicted sexual predator moves into their area. Additionally the service is open to users from all US states except for Nevada, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Vermont. These states either do not provide address data or do not have a centralized registry.

NOTE: After performing some initial searches around my family’s neighborhood I’m quite dumbfounded, shocked and amazed to learn of the amount of sexual offenders in the area – especially those who live together and near elementary schools. Family Watchdog lists the name of the offender, their address, and their photo – something all parents who live in states with a public sexual offender registry should be made aware of.

Family Watchdog Sex Offender Search Family Watchdog is a new site launched by the National Coalition of Victims in Action which uses a local map search function to display sex offenders in specific areas. By using Family Watchdog, parents are able to enter their address or zip code into the site and the result is a Google powered map marking…
  • jo
    This is good, but how do we lodge a report if we know a potential sexual predator who has been harassing ladies, and it's been ongoing for years now. The fear is that he may manifest it in a violent way. We should also stop such individuals before he claims a victim.
  • cheyenne
    reply to cici
    Yes im one im 13 it happed 4-5 days ago my stepmom is not doing not thing my real mom is going to try to get me bad with her for i will not get rape. im scared
  • Fran
    My Boyfriend and a few of his friends got drunk one night and decided it would be fun to skinny dip in the big fountain in the middle of the park in our town...well they did not notice the 6 or so young children playing on the swings a few yards away. One of them ran and told someone and the cops where called, and they went to jail....and the way the law goes he and his friends are now registered sex offenders! So do not go and think that everyone is a perv....some just do stupid stunts and pay a life time for them.
  • jesse canada
    Canadians are not stupid as it apparently seems by all the uneducated comments that you see above by our female portion of the population. (come on ladies give your head a shake) did you all know that here in Canada, if you cannot afford a lawyer one will be appointed to you by the crown. You are unable to plead not guilty when you have a lawyer appointed to you. Therefore every poor person that gets wrongfully accused and cannot afford a lawyer will be registered sex offenders. I am not sure how it works in the states but i am pretty sure it is the same as Canada, therefore half of the convicted people are wrongfully incarcerated due to their lack of wealth to pay for a lawyer. ( min $5000 on a sexual harassment suit) And one more old proverb to point out... Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. You all can read into that I am sure.

    How about this.... get off your fat lazy arses and teach all your kids how to be safe and secure as opposed to the government taking care of the aftermath. That includes knowing what your kids are doing online. And remember we were all kids and what excuses did you tell your parents when you were out late? Whatever was in the news at the time. Right? We all remember the white van excuse. "Sorry mom we had to run and try and hide from the white van" and "so sorry we are late mom honest there was a creepy guy who followed us so we had to take the long way home". And now its "I had no service and or my cell battery died and it was the white van" or "there was a creeper so took the long way home". Things never change remember that. Only now paranoia has struck both nations by force.
    In closing, I feel for those poor WRONGFULLY ACCUSED people on the registry. Their lives are ruined because of people like you.
  • JLynn
    a quick reply to top hat painter,
    the fact that you think that a 2nd chance should be considerd to sex offenders is giving off the impression you are defending sex offenders, not convicts in general. If you know anything about psycology, which im sure you dont.. the difference between a normal offender, which can be catagorized under many different exceptions and the difference between a sexual predator is that a sexual predator is a mindstate, sex offenders and many other sick minded people ARE sociopaths, along with many other personality disorders and mental defficancies.. and MOST of the time is proven that these people can not change, because they have no desire too.. in most cases the sociopath knows how to manipulate those that are observing and develop behavior that they know sosciety or the observer would want to hear.
    These people are not victims to society because they are being judged or proded at. And most can not change even if they do not act on it, remember this is a mindstate and its pretty much garunteed that thoughts are going on there heads even if they are trying to control themselves.. which is one step away from the act it self..
    I dont know about you but I would like to know who is who and who i should watch out for
  • ROSE
    replying to zee sex , your sick and you should be registered as a sick sex offender, what the hell is wrong with you ?
  • How does i find all zee pritty little white gurls ?
  • you think you're funny
    wow... real sick
  • mrs. howell
    I love this website to keep people updated
  • todd
    what can i do if wife is bringing registered sex offender pc288 aound my 7 yr old daughter?
  • todd
    what can i do if wife is bring registered sex offender pc288 aound my 7 yr old daughter?
  • seth
    my wife and i moved in to anapartmentcomplex were we did not know anything about and had my brother look up on the intrnet because at the time we didnt have internet he found three with in our complex if we had knowen that we would of not moved in . I have a guy that comes and talkes to me and always askes about mytwo kids so know i know he is on the rgestry i bought peper spray. I dont want any thing to hapen to my kids thank you for starting up this web sight
  • Stacy
    I REALLY Wish there was a site like this but for Canada . :(
  • Mischellene Ball
    PS: Also want to say that Canada needs to start getting tougher and actually punish some of these monsters instead of letting them get off with light sentences such as parole and a stupid fine. Jail sentences are what they need....incarceration. It's ridiculous that someone can molest or rape a kid and walk away with basically no penalty. The government sometimes just gives them a fine and parole and that's it. Why should the government be able to collect money for someone molesting my child and the molester walk away scot free. It's sick.
  • Mischellene Ball
    An American site like this cannot make options to set up a Canadian sex offender registry. It would be illegal for them. I wish to God we could have something like this in Canada but it is not the fault of a Americans that we don't have it here. I am responding to the person who complained about Americans not offerring Canadians the option of viewing Canadian sex offenders. They can't as they don't have access to those records. Canada needs to get off their butts and do something to help their citizens have access to this information in order to protect our children.
  • Top Hat Painter
    First off, America shouldn't have to take care of Canadians. You guys want a registry and are jealous that we have it down here, its 'unfair' that Americans can live in paranoia and fear. TOO BAD!! Start your own big brother site. Now, second, humans, by nature, show a capacity to change that no other mammal on the planet can achieve. What strikes me (and leave it to Americans to really drive this home) is that this site is continuing to state the idea that at no point in any of these sex offenders life is there a chance for change. It's "mess up, go to jail, get out, spend rest of life hated" and the best part is that more people are crying for the chance to practice this hate. Why isn't more energy going to actually rehabilitating these people? Instead, people are seriously happy that they are getting these offenders kicked out of their neighborhood - where the hell do you think they go? Another neighborhood! And this time they might not have a place to live and could end up homeless, with less of a reason to stay out of prison, and NO way to be monitored... its odd to me that countries that have a low crime rate, a low sex crime rate, don't need a watch dog website... but that America feels this is the only approach. Don't you think that this will just cause them to not only try less to change, but will cause them to offend more? Cause them to not register at all? If the neighborhood already thinks you're always going to be a monster forever, why keep trying to change that? I'm not saying we need to feel sorry for them or coddle them, but for the love of GOD, can we at least look at the possibility that these people can change? Good luck watching the neighbor through the blinds, stalking the stalkers, I'll be busy trying to find a way to actually help the person never to offend again - so there wouldn't be a need for such a site. Or the paranoia and fear.
  • tutu
    how is watch dog accurate?
  • Cindy
    I, too, am a Canadian parent! I appreciate the work that has went into the Registry in order to protect our children from these offenders.
    On the other hand, what ever happened to teaching our children the basic princiles of how to protect themselves from dangers/strangers???
    Although the registry is great to tell us (the Americans, and hopefully someday, us Canadians) where the offenders are now residing, and where the 'bad' people are, there is always a 'first-time' offender, and our children need to be TAUGHT, the same as we were taught, that you can't trust everyone, and they need to be TAUGHT what to do in a variety of circumstances, and PARENTS need to supervise their children properly, even if there are no 'declared' sex offenders or pedophiles out there!
    PREVENT it from happening the FIRST time, and THEN, someday, maybe we wouldn't even need a Registry!
  • Alisha
    Canada does not have a site like Family Watch Dog and just as it was said above, the RCMP only have access to the registry. That is, only "some"detachments have access, not all!! My sister and I are trying to start an online petition to get a site just like Family Watch Dog in Canada. Unfortunately it will take a while and we will have to go through the government! If you are at all interested in signing the petition and helping us make a difference go to this web link and sign away!! We need all the help we can get!! Let's make Canada a more safer and aware country!!

    http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/familywatchd...
  • michelle
    I see this email was written last year, but am hoping you are still working to have the registered sex offender registry open to us Canadian citizens. I would love to do anything I can to help this cause, I have already signed the petition. Do you have any ideas of anything else I could do. This is sooo important for all us Canadian Families.....
  • Maria
    This is a great site, however... why is there nothing for us Canadians? Canada's legal system is such a joke sometimes. People have a right to know if there is perverts living in their neighbourhood. And it does not violate the perverts rights because frankly, they lost their rights when they decided to act upon their dirty thoughts.
  • sean
    It is pretty striking how many Canadians have found themselves here asking in vain for some info on how a parent can access some info on who in their neighbourhood is a convicted sex offender. More than striking----this site is almost a depository for Canadians googling "registry sex offenders." I'm sure there are tonnes of americans on the site---but its us Canadian Parents who end up here asking for help. Trevor is an idiot when he rants about Canada's laws and approach is fundamentally wrong and we are a laughing stock and so on. But I think us Canadians as we end up here have to be humbled by the fact that we have only started registering in 2001. Its a closed system. And most notably there is not among us 30 million a non governmental site such as this ,that challenges government orthodoxy, a site that does not make an effort and attempt to catalougue, archive and track sexual offenders. It is a little mentioned and admired fact about these americans---that they don't wait around for government sites to do things like this. I, like many big city Canadians am very liberal and defend many Canadian laws and and approaches----and maybe support the goverment not having a public registry--- based on the privacy argument and the avoidance of Lynch Mob justice.---maybe----but as a parent I would expect that there would be a non-governmental site such as this. And.....there is not. And because its my kids and its real i find myself wishing we Canadians could somehow have more American Spirit "unofficially." I respect Canada's weak and incorrect policy as it stands, because it will get better. But I yearn for that non-dependence on Government that we Canadians can see here on this site. These are parents, good people, republicans, democrats, northerners, southerners that are simply cutting through the "bull" and aggressively doing some things that might even be unconstitutional---for good reasons. And what most people on this continent can agree on is that our governments, laws, punishments are very much "off" what parents--good christian forgiving parents---believe. And I came here expecting that everyone thought it was okay to have a public sex offender registry----and I was surprised there was not. And my surprise is noteworthy because I am not a Punishment type. I am that annoying liberal who questions most incarcerations based on socio-economics or what have you. But child sex crimes. 18 months in jail is not ever going to stop this offender. So I demand that I know who and where they are!
    And cudos to our American brothers and sisters for maintaining a site like this.
  • Emilie
    p.s sorry for the horrible typo's ..
  • Emilie
    I am a 16 year old girl living in toronto, canada. Im greatful that there are sites liek this available to the puplic but its sad that there isnt any for canada. I've been raped twice, and also a few of my friends have and it would be really helpful if i could look at a site and just know where to stay away from, and who to be careful around.

    *crosses fingers for a canadian site*
  • Why do you americans never make Canadian options? Were up here to, we'd like to know if there are pedophiles living in our neighbourhoods. I have little brothers. I'd like to keep them safe.
  • karen
    we are not part of canada, if you want to know what is going on in the u.s. then become a u.s citizen. hass hole. as of now you are not. so shut up or join us.
  • Irritated Canadian
    To Angry Canadian -

    I am also an angry Canadian who loves her country. I am ashamed when I hear other Canadians exercise their stupidity publicly and make us look bad! Perhaps you should place the blame where it belongs....somewhere in Can-a-da....perhaps the Gov-ern-ment? It is NOT up to the AMERICAN lawmaker to track CANADIAN pedophiles!!! Think about it! Give your head a shake.
  • Trudy
    we need a site like this in Canada, i have a right to know what kind of pervert's are living ni my nerighborhood and around my daughter...sometimes this contry just irks me, i mean our stupid laws bug me, not only do we not get to know whos' in our neighborhoods, when they do "offend" they get a friggin slap on the wrist, i really think we should take after the states on some of these laws.
  • Trev
    Why would Canada ever have something like this?This would only "Violate The Right's of the Criminal.!!!!" Canada's Laws have been proven they are the weakest in the world by Charles Ng.Canadas Laws are the laughing stock of the world.And the "Young Offenders Act" is beyond a disgrace when parents,or the laws have given all control to the youth who should not be "Disciplined" for fear of making them "Psychotic Retards" by bitchslapping their mouths/asses when necessary to have the fear of control and respect,when these dumbass kids are the ones today who have control over their "dumb ass parents" that they are "Entitled to Control" by the Laws of the Weak Ass Canadian Justice System. In this stupid country,kids are the ones given the "Adult Decisions"over the parent.
  • Ferious !!
    I am a victom of sexual assault ever since i could remember. I also live in canada and have two little girls of my own and I will do anything to prevent it from happening to them or anyone else. Frankly canada stinks and don't care about the people.. If they did we would have access to a registry to help prevent a world of pain.. I would like to know if a neighbour or someone down the street is the person im trying to protect my family from. Somebody please help !! my kids lives depend on it. !! They don't need to be scarred forever like I am.
    Thanks
  • CiCi
    If you feel so strongly about having a Canadian sex offender registry, do your belly-aching in front of the politicians who have the resources to make it happen.

    The laws in any country are only as good, or as bad, as the citizens make them. Ever heard the saying "the squeaky wheel gets the oil"?
  • bill hape
    show me
  • Kristy
    Hi All, For us Canadians, I would hazard a guess that it's our incredibly strict PIPEDA statutes that are keeping something like this from being available. Our Privacy legislation is so much more stringent up here that it will take a really long time to get something like this (unfortunately for the concerned parents in our midst). As is often the case - we are far too concerned with protecting the rights of the wrong people...
  • Mike
    There is a national registry of a similar nature in Canada, but it is only accessible by law enforcement personnell. At least I haven't found any place where this kind of information is made public for Canada.
  • Wonder
    Kinda disappointed that no one knows about a Canadian site... although D.C. did say its scary to see all the offenders.
    If anyone finds one, please let us know!
  • Confused
    You have to be kidding me that your not going to answer these people who are asking over and over again.....Is there a site for Canada!!!!!!!
  • Brenda
    I would like to know if there is one in Canada.I heard they don't have one for Cananda, I hope this is not true.
  • Terry
    Where can I find this info for Canada. It's a great service and want to take advantage of it.
  • Barbara Curley-Brown
    I really admire your site, but I wonder like a few other Canadians if there is a a site like yours in Canada. Perhaps you could share it with us? I know I would appreaciate it.

    Thank You

    Barbara Curley
  • jason
    this is in response to peter... its great that you got the offender out of your neighborhood.. but now where the f*ck is he going to go.. you know hes just going to move near somebody else.. do you not care about others.. or just your family.
  • Rachel
    Is there a website like this in Canada?
    Let me know.
  • look i am os sad for you.
  • Rachel
    this is great and all.
    But is there a website like this for Canada?
    Let me know.
  • cheryl johnson
    pls.let me know if you've found a website like this in canada?
    thank-you
    cheyrlxoxox
  • Sean K
    I found out that the girl i was dating was a convicted sex offender by using watchdog, and immediately kicked her to the curb to keep her away from my daughter.....thank god for watchdog!
  • Peter
    Great site! I found a pedophile on Family Watchdog who lived around the block from our family. When we got together with the neighbors, we all made a letter and sent it to his landlord, and good news! They are evicting him from our neighborhood, and he has to leave by the 4th of January!

    Thanks to family watchdog, one less predator is in our neighborhood!
  • congratulations peter, you got a pedophile out of your neighborhood, but now where the f*ck is he going to go? they don't just disappear. start thinking about other people.
  • CiCi
    Why should you care about where a sexual offender goes as long as he's GONE. Maybe of the f*ck hadn't offended, MAYBE HE WOULD BE WELCOME -

    IT'S TIME WE THINK ABOUT THE VICTIMS. WHERE ARE THEY'RE RIGHTS . . . .

    Or are you defending sex offenders BECAUSE YOU ARE ONE?
  • George
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Thanks alot...that one helped me alot Sin...if it wasnt for you i would never know if my kids were in a safe neighbourhood :D ....your friend George
  • Annabelle Fortin
    So, could someone post the link for the one that is for Canada. A lot of people are asking but nobody is answergin!
  • Suiseiseki
    you mean like this...?

    http://www.nsopr.gov
  • I wish the site was accurate in that you can do a search for free but it only leads you to the national registry site that you have to pay for. Disappointing.
  • Loren Baker
    The site is linked to in the story and again right here: http://www.familywatchdog.us/

    Best, Loren
  • joe blow
    no fair...every "free" site leads to a "pay" service in order receive the requested information...Dr. Phil needs to know we can't get to this FREE site!
  • Toni Kehler
    Please consider the canadian children also. I would be more then willing to donate time and energy into getting this, for the safety of our children. I am willing to find more people as long as someone can show me how or where to start
  • Sharon Evans
    Is there somewhere I can check for offenders in Canada?
    sevans103@shaw.ca
  • Josi
    if you find one contact me thanks
  • Pat KNOST
    It's great. I want to know that our children are safe playing in the neighborhood.
  • I think this is a great site for US citizens but i wish they had this in Canada. If you know of any information or websites for us please let me know.

    Thank you
  • Cindy
    I have a question I hope you can answer. I was watching Dr. Phil yesterday and found out about Watchdog and was wondering if this is something offered in Canada as well or something similar? Thank you.
  • sheila
    I got the site to work now. Maybe too many people were trying to access it. Anyway you need to turn your pop up blocker off to view it.
  • sheila
    I can't get the site to work either. Someone please fix it fast. Thank You.
  • Josi
    I live in Canada too have 5 grandchildren need to know if there is a site for me to keep a look out for this is a great idea i hope we have it if not how do we start one thanks you Josi
  • Erin
    I need to find a site like this in Canada,, Any Idea?
  • carrie
    Yes I would love to find one in Canada as well ! so far all I have gotten was nothing. I even phoned my local authorities to ask and they had said that us canadians have no access to this information !!!! cant believe it. How do they expect the community to help them when we the comunity are not allowed to access vital information regarding the safety our children?. We canadians deserve the right to know if pediphiles/sex offenders live near us or worse NEXT DOOR. Erin thank you, I wish Canadian law was the same as the U.S
  • no go to familywatchdog.com ok it can help you.
  • Liz
    I can not access the familywatchdog.us site! I do regular checks through the GBI's website but wanted to see more. I saw Dr. Phil talking about familywatchdog.us and I can not get on the site. Please fix this !
  • teresa
    I cant log on to the site either!! someone needs to contact whoever is in charge and fixthis asap. Iwish I knew who to contact I would do itmyself
  • Shirley Ohara
    This site is filled with mistakes that are going to lead to the deaths of innocent people. My suggestion is that you close it down before you have more lawsuites than you can handle.
  • Kristen
    What are you offended because your a sex offender? Because thats the only reason why I could see you wanting this site closed, or you think it's perfectly fine for someone to rape your child!
  • CiCi
    Shirley has a valid point - if a person is WRONGFULLY accused of sexual assault, particularly when the victim is a minor, in ruins lives. If we label someone a sex offender in a public forum, we'd better make damn sure the report is drop-dead accurate.

    As for shutting the site down, I think you'd have a slightly different opinion if it was your name, or that of a loved one (your husand for instance), that made the list because of misinformation.

    And no, I am NOT a sexual offender - just someone who believes in due diligence.
  • Bob
    The familywatchdog.us site does not seem to come up.
    Is anyone else having the same problems?
  • captgale@msn.com
    hello, think what your doing is a real service to the communith, after doing a search with my zipcode, i found my neighbor derectly across the street, was a class 3 convict, now the problem i have (besides this creep)is the maps that show where the offender lives, shows my house, not his, the red block ends up on my house, i contacted the nhgov,and was told they control the info, but you guys control the mapping, how do i get this fixed, my house 3 is 307, offenders is 304,please advise as to who i need to contact and how, thank you, this can only work if your info is 100% correct...jim g
  • Tracy
    I think that this is a wonderful site for people to be aware of the people living near them and their children. I my self was violated at a very early age and it terrifies me to think that my child would ever have to go through the things that I did as a young girl. I am always watching everyone everywhere I go. I wouldn't use the information I recieve from your site to hurt or harrass anyone; just to ensure that my children are always protected and safe. Tracy
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