Caro's Lines' photostream on flickr Neighborhood Watch image:41883:1::0

There has been much controversy about criminals and the right to privacy, questions that still have not been answered in a court of law. These questions began to be raised when websites for showing the locations of accused sexual predators, usually where they live and work, were established for people to view.

Now a new website has been formed and driven controversy. The website is aimed at providing people and neighborhood watches with information on people with criminal records in their immediate area It can also be used to look up people across the United States to see if they have been bad boys or bad girls. Certainly this will make he naughty/nice list a bit easier for Santa this year.

The website is criminalsearches.com and provides services which include criminal background checks, maps of the local area being searched with sexual predators and criminals homes pegged, even crime statistics for an area. It also provides names, sometimes pictures, and a list of crimes committed by the individuals displayed on the map. Criminalsearches.com was founded by the stalkers number one helper, peoplefinders.com.

Advocates for criminal rights have been wary of the new website stating that in the hands of the wrong people, convicted peoples in the area are subject to harassment, discrimination, and possible danger. Advocates for victims rights have acknowledged the concerns but feel the information is too valuable for the proactive safety of the community to be hidden from the public for fears of a few reactionaries.

No matter what the argument for or against the website, certainly being provided with the locations of criminals can help a family be more aware and safer in their neighborhood, forewarned is forearmed. It is hoped, however, that the arms taken up are knowledge instead of tools of harassment.