Mission to Stop Sex Offenders From Reoffending

March 1, 2010— -- The picturesque county of Santa Clara, at the southern end of San Francisco Bay, is home to Silicon Valley and 3,000 sex offenders.

Policing sex offenders falls into the hands of 25 law enforcement officers who are part of a federally-funded task force called Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement, or SAFE.

"These are people who have just gotten out of prison or jail who are likely to reoffend," said Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith. "The recidivism rate for sex offenders is the highest of any type of crime."

Random visits are carried out to confirm that sex offenders who are considered to have a high propensity to commit another assault are living where they say they are and are obeying the detailed conditions that accompanied their early release from prison.

"Sometimes you'll see terms of probation that will include that they can't possess children's toys if their crime was a sex crime involving a child, or can't possess children's clothing," Smith said. "I've even seen terms and conditions of parole or probation that include 'can't possess a puppy or kitten.' We'll be looking at all those things. There is certainly a pornography prohibition."

"Nightline" accompanied SAFE on a typical day on the job, monitoring and tracking sex offenders. The first stop was the home of a 62-year-old former classroom assistant, who served a five-year prison sentence for multiple crimes against a 10-year-old girl.

After clearing the location, identifying the parolee, the police began the search. ABC News obtained permission from the parolee to follow the police onto his property to film their work.

While the police searched, we asked the parolee about his original offense.

"The original offense was the hug of the student," he said. "I worked with this student throughout the whole year and we developed a friendship during that time. ... She had low self esteem -- more so than any of the other members in class."

When we asked if it was possible by providing her with gifts, she was being groomed, the parolee said, "That's sort of the stereotypical view that was taken. I think that's part of [what] threw me into a category like a pedophile category."