Please take a moment to read our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
What is Family Watchdog?
Family Watchdog allows you to see where registered sexual offenders live and work around you.
Is there a cost to use Family Watchdog?
There is no fee associated with looking up offenders and viewing maps. You can also sign up to receive free email alerts. None of the services provided by Family Watchdog will cost you anything.
How long has Family Watchdog been available?
Family Watchdog has been in production since August 25, 2005.
What else does Family Watchdog do?
Family Watchdog can proactively notify you when a registered sexual predator moves within five miles of a given address that you care about. Family Watchdog can also track offenders and send you notifications if the specified offender has a change.
What addresses can I choose for notifications?
You may use any address that you want. Home. School. Church. Playground. Day care center. A parent's house. Whatever address is important to you.
I live in an upscale neighborhood. Why do I need this service?
Sexual predators have no physical borders, and are not confined to any given socio-economic group.
How will you notify me?
Our service uses email as a primary notification mechanism. We are developing a voice service where we can call and leave a message for you, if you don't have an email address. We do NOT send direct mail information at any time.
I have moved. How do I change my address?
You can log in and click on the modify pencil to make any address information change. You can change email address by clicking on the Profile tab. Click here to login and change your information.
There is an offender registered at MY address. That person does NOT live here.
This offender may not have reported that they moved. You will need to contact the state registry that maintains this offender's information. Click on the convictions tab for this offender. You will find the source of the information. Please contact that registry to update the information. If you need any assistance contacting the state's registry email our customer service and they can help.
How often do you update?
We update our site daily and for some states multiple times daily. When a change is made, our site updates in about 24 hours.
Are there registered sexual offenders that are not in your database?
Unfortunately, yes. Our service relies on publicly available data. If an offender moves and does not report to the county sheriff in which they reside, we will not know that they have moved.
There is someone listed in my neighborhood or at work that left and you still show them. Why?
Our service relies on publicly available data. If a sexual offender moves and does not report their address change, we will not know that they have moved.
Why does the little marker for the offender shows up in the wrong place on the map?
We determine the offender's address on the map using census data. We find that at times an address can be 100 meters or more off which would be about 1 city block off as drawn on a map. We are working on this issue, and if you notice that an address is off, please email our customer service.
If I know of an offender that is not in your database, should I contact you?
No. Please contact your local police or sheriff department. A registered sexual offender that fails to report commits a felony, and can be returned to prison.
