"This Halloween, my office has placed signs in front of every registered sex offender's house to notify the public that it's a house to avoid," Sheriff Gary Long said in a Facebook post, 13 News Now reports.

The signs read ‘No trick-or-treat at this address’ complete with a forbidden sign over an illustration of a Halloween trick or treat bag.

Georgia state law forbids registered sex offenders from decorating their houses for Halloween, and Long said the signs are part of his duty under Georgia law. "It says that the sheriff shall in fact notify each community of the presence of sex offenders." he said.

The lawn signs were thought-up after the annual Butts County trick-or-treat event, usually held in the town square, was called off.

READ MORE: Precaution or scaremongering? Georgia town to round up sex offenders for Halloween evening

Another Georgia town, Grovetown, plans to round up its sex offenders who are on probation to keep them away from children. The offenders will be placed in the Council Chambers on Halloween night from 6pm-9pm, Mayor Gary Jones said on Facebook last week.

In response to outrage, Jones said Tuesday that the plan was being scrapped and that a different contingency plan was in place.

 A sex offender is someone who has committed a sexual crime. This ranges from rape, pedophilila to indecent exposure or urinating in public.

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