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We hear on the news and read in newspapers about an increasing number of sex offenders. Most alarming are the child molesters. Could one be living in your neighborhood?

Maine has joined a growing number of states that provide an online database of convicted sex offenders that have registered with the state as required by law. Only sex offenders convicted since June 30 of 1992 are included, and not all sex offenders comply with this requirement, so the list is not complete.

Crimes that are considered to be sexual offenses include: rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse of minors, unlawful sexual contact, visual sexual aggression against a child (exposing oneself), sexual misconduct with a child under 14, solicitation of a minor via the Internet, and unlawful sexual touching.

The information is provided for the protection of those who live nearby so that they can be aware of the potential risks and take appropriate precautions. The method of notifying residents when a registered sex offender moves into a neighborhood varies with each town, so if you have any questions, call your local law enforcement agency.

The State Sex Offender Registry provides the following information on each convicted sex offender:

• Sex offender's name
• Sex offender's date of birth
• Sex offender's physical address, if known
• Sex offender's place of employment, if known
• Place the sex offender attended school, if known
• Crime for which the sex offender was convicted
• Photograph of the sex offender, if available

If you would like to obtain additional information about a particular sex offender, you must request it in writing or via the state's Internet Sex Offender Registry Web site and provide your name and address.

Additional information that can be provided includes:

• Aliases used by the sex offender
• Sex offender's personal information, including sex, race, height, weight, and eye color
• Sex offender's home address
• Sex offender's mailing and home address
• A legal description of the sex offender

To look up sex offenders, you can search the state's database by name, city or town, or zip code by visiting the Maine Sex Offender Registry Web site.