JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Congress has been considering a new bill that could help protect families from sex offenders by making the records of juvenile offenders public.

Web sites such as www3.fdle.state.fl.us/sopu/index.asp contain the names and addresses of registered sex offenders.

However, some people have been pushing to require offenders under the age of 18 to register their information Online as well.

Father of four Elden Santiago said when he heard about juveniles perhaps being put on a national sex offender registry, speaking from experience as a parent, he thought it was a bad idea.

"They're eight and nine years old. They experiment on each other. They don't know no better," Santiago said.

However, juveniles might soon learn the hard way. A new bill being pushed through congress could include juvenile sex offenders on a new federal registry.

Currently, each state has a sex offender registry where the public can look up sexual predators or offenders. The names, photos and addresses of offenders can be found in the registries, but anyone under 18 is will not be included on the lists.

Lt. Mike Gwines with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said the current registry aids law enforcement.

"For those that re-offend, it helps us find them quicker and makes people aware of it," Gwines said.

The law protects the names, pictures, and addresses of juveniles. That could change if the new bill passes, but many Jacksonville residents said they think passing the bill could create problems.

"Try to make them realize what they did was wrong, and then when they're adults and are responsible for their actions it would be OK to put them on there," said Fred Hoener, who is not in favor of the bill.

"They probably don't know any better," said another Jacksonville resident.