Some things are so distressing that they’re hard to consider. Sexual predators fall into that area. But the fact is, a convicted sex offender could live next door.

Federal law requires states to register sex offenders and release that information. You can check for registered sex offenders online. All state information is included in the National Sex Offender Public Registry.

You could also consult the FBI’s Crimes Against Children Unit. You’ll find links to state sex offender sites. These sites may offer better results. You can search by your exact address. You may even get offender locations on an interactive map.

You can also check the criminal history of a specific person. Criminal Searches lets you search by name. It will pull up a range of criminal files in the public record. These can include sexual offences.

Sex offender registration isn’t perfect. According to Parents For Megan’s Law (PFML), one in four offenders fail to report address changes. And of course, some predators have yet to be caught. You won’t find them on any list.