A controversial Missouri sex offender law first enforced in 2008 continues this year in Buchanan County despite statistics questioning its effectiveness.

The law states that Missouri's registered sex offenders need to remain inside their homes from 5 to 10:30 p.m. on Oct. 31 unless they have "just cause" to leave, such as work or a medical emergency. They also have to keep outside lights off and post a sign stating they aren't distributing candy.

Although the law seems it would keep children safe, research suggests sex crimes don't differ on Halloween from any other day.

A 2009 study conducted in part by Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., found no significant increases in sex crimes on or around Halloween after an examination of crime data looking at non-familial sex crimes from 1997 to 2005 against children 12 years old and younger.

In addition, sex-crime incidents on Halloween did not fluctuate any differently after states adopted the sex-offender bans from Oct. 31 activities.

Put in context, an examination of 5 million victimizations from 30 states on or around Halloween in 2005 found all types of sex crimes accounted for slightly more than 1 percent of all Halloween crimes, behind theft, vandalism, assault and burglary.

Buchanan County assistant prosecutor Pam Blevins, who handles sex crimes against children for the prosecutor's office, said that study may not show the whole picture.

"That could be a small amount of the occurrences. Most kids never disclose being molested," she said.

According to Bureau of Justice statistics, 90 percent of sexually abused children are victimized by someone they know, including relatives and close acquaintances.

Despite this, Ms. Blevins said there still are random child molestations that occur, therefore making the enforcement of the law important to the community.

"If we can save just one child from being molested, it's worth it," she said.

Much like in 2008, the Buchanan County Sheriff's Department will enforce the law by checking on each offender that night. Last year, the sex offender monitoring resulted in eight arrests for violating the Halloween rules.

"We will use everything that the laws allow to limit the exposure of sex offenders with possible victims," Sheriff Mike Strong said.

Mr. Strong and Dan Winter, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and Western Missouri, said they both received complaints from people on the sex offender registry. Neither said they were enough to warrant any type of action.

"We are enforcing the law," Mr. Strong said. "If they disagree with it, they should contact their legislator."

Andrew Gaug can be reached at andrewgaug@npgco.com.