This Halloween, there will be no tricks or treats for registered sex offenders living in California's Riverside County.
Registered sex offenders will be forbidden to hand out candy or even answer the doors to trick-or-treaters from 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 31, the
Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday. They are also banned from having outdoor lights on from 5 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. on Halloween night. And to make sure no kids are tempted to ring the doorbell anyway, the offenders cannot put up any outdoor holiday decorations.
The ban applies only to sex offenders in unincorporated areas. There are 3,491 registered sex offenders in these areas, according to county officials.
County Supervisor Jeff Stone, who introduced the ordinance, said that the cities of Orange and San Jacinto already have similar bans.
In the Riverside County city of Murrieta, police send out yearly warnings advising sex offenders to stay home on Halloween and stay out of trouble.
"To avoid any unnecessary allegations of impropriety with minors, I strongly suggest you protect yourself by voluntarily refraining from interacting with the children during the trick-or-treat holiday," last year's letter from Murrieta Police Chief Mark Wright said, according to the Times.
© 2013 Newsmax. All rights reserved.