The Creepy Coach: Part 4
Check, Don't Assume: Sex Offender Registries and Background Checks
In Parts 1 through 3, we focused on behavior: the patterns, the red flags, and what to do when something feels wrong. This part is about the tools. Free, public resources every parent can use to see who lives nearby and to check out the people and programs in your child's life.
But I want to start with the most important point, because it's the one most parents miss:
A registry search is a starting point.
Used the right way, these tools give you real information. Used the wrong way, they give you a false sense of security. Let's make sure you're using them the right way.
Step 1: See Who Lives Near You
There are two free tools I recommend every parent use.
1. The National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW.gov)
This is the official site, run by the U.S. Department of Justice in partnership with state, territorial, and tribal governments. One search covers the registries for all 50 states, D.C., U.S. territories, and Indian Country. You can search by name, address, city, or zip code.
2. Family Watchdog (FamilyWatchdog.us)
Family Watchdog is a free site that pulls from each state's registry and puts it on a map, so you can see registered offenders around your home, your child's school, the field, or the gym. Two features I like:
Free email alerts when a registered offender moves into or out of your area.
Nickname matching. Search "Robert" and it also checks "Bob."
Where to search:
Your home
Your child's school and bus stop
Practice fields, gyms, and studios
Camps and after-school programs
Grandparents' and friends' homes where your child spends time
Step 2: Understand What the Registry Can't Tell You
A registry is a tool, and like any tool, you need to know what it can't do.
It only shows people who were caught and convicted. Remember from Part 1: about 90% of children who are sexually abused are harmed by someone the child or family knows and trusts. Most of that abuse is never reported, and much of what is reported never ends in a conviction. Those people will never appear on any registry.
Not every registered offender is public. Each state sets its own rules. In many states, some lower-level offenders and most juveniles don't appear on the public website at all.
It depends on the offender telling the truth. Under federal law, a registered offender must report in person within 3 business days after changing their name, address, job, or school.
The system works when they follow that rule. Not when they don't:
Name changes: If someone legally changes their name and doesn't report it, a search under the new name may come up empty.
Moving: If someone moves to a new city or state and doesn't register, the new location may not show them at all. Failing to register after crossing state lines is a federal crime, but it still happens.
Missing offenders: A 2020 NPR review of every state registry found more than 25,000 sex offenders whose whereabouts were unknown. The same review found wrong addresses, wrong names, and people listed years after they had died.
Laws can change who's listed, overnight. In September 2026, Michigan's Supreme Court ruled that people whose offenses happened before July 1, 2011 can't be required to register under the state's current law. More than 20,000 convicted sex offenders were removed from Michigan's public registry as a result. One of them was Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics doctor we discussed in Part 2. He's still in prison and likely always will be. But thousands of others on that list live in communities right now, and a parent searching the registry today won't find them.
A clean search doesn't mean a person is safe. It means they haven't been convicted and registered, or the system hasn't caught up with them.
Step 3: Check the Organization
Before your child joins any team, camp, church program, or class, ask:
Do you run background checks on every coach, staff member, and volunteer?
Are they fingerprint-based or name-only? Fingerprint checks are harder to fool with a name change.
How often are people re-checked? A check from five years ago doesn't tell you about the last five years.
Do the checks include sex offender registries and criminal records in every state the person has lived?
Do you have a written child-protection policy, and can I see it? (Sounds familiar? It's the same question from Part 1.)
Many states also require people who work with kids to hold a state clearance. Here in Arizona, for example, many youth-related jobs require a DPS Fingerprint Clearance Card. It's fair to ask whether staff have one.
Step 4: Check an Individual
If you have questions about a specific coach, instructor, or adult, here's where to look:
The sex offender registry: Search their name on NSOPW.gov and Family Watchdog.
SafeSport: For Olympic and Paralympic sports (swimming, gymnastics, soccer, and many more), search the U.S. Center for SafeSport Centralized Disciplinary Database. It lists people who have been sanctioned or temporarily restricted.
The sport's national governing body: Many keep their own lists, like U.S. Soccer's Disciplined Individuals page.
Teaching licenses: Most state education departments let you look up a teacher's certification and any disciplinary action.
Court records: Many states and counties offer free online court record searches.
A simple online search: Their name plus the city, the organization, or words like "arrest" or "lawsuit."
A word on paid "people search" websites: they can be useful, but their information is often outdated or wrong. Confirm anything you find with an official source before you act on it.
Use This Information the Right Way
The goal is awareness and protection, not punishment. Most registry sites warn that using this information to harass or threaten anyone is against the law. If something you find concerns you:
Keep your child away from unsupervised contact with that person.
Talk to the organization's leadership and ask how they're handling it.
Contact local law enforcement if you believe someone is breaking registration rules or putting a child at risk.
The Bottom Line
Background checks and registries catch the people who've already been caught. They can't catch the pattern. That's why everything in Parts 1 through 3 still matters: watching for access, secrecy, boundary testing, isolation, and control.
Check the registry. Ask about background checks. Then keep doing the most important thing a parent can do: pay attention, stay involved, and never doubt your gut feelings.
Sources
Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW), U.S. Department of Justice
Family Watchdog and Visitor Management: Sex Offender Check Process, Navigate360
34 U.S. Code § 20913, Registry Requirements for Sex Offenders, Cornell Legal Information Institute
Sex Offender Registries Often Fail Those They Are Designed To Protect, NPR
Centralized Disciplinary Database, U.S. Center for SafeSport
About Child Sexual Abuse, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Disclaimer
This article is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is designed to help families recognize warning signs and start important conversations. It is not a substitute for professional advice, training, or services, including legal, medical, mental health, or law enforcement guidance. Laws and reporting requirements vary by state and change over time. Prepared Not Paranoid and Larry Betz are not responsible for the content of third-party websites or resources linked here and make no guarantee of their accuracy or completeness. Information from sex offender registries or background-check sources should never be used to harass, threaten, or intimidate anyone.
If you suspect a child is being abused, contact local law enforcement, your state's child protective services, or the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 right away. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911.
Prepared Not Paranoid. Protecting the Most Vulnerable Among Us.
