Missouri creates email alert about sex offenders

JEFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri residents now can receive an automatic alert if a registered sex offender moves into their neighborhood.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol has launched an e-mail system that notifies neighbors within 24 hours if a registered sex offender changes his or her address.

People can sign up for two options. They can receive a notification when a sex offender registers a home, work or school address anywhere within 500 feet to 5 miles of a particular address. People also can track address changes for specific sex offenders.

Missouri's Sex Offender Registry went online in May 2004. It initially listed sex offenders by county. It was expanded in 2005 to include a searchable database, offender photos and mapping features.