More than 200 registered sex offenders are now living across the Highlands and islands, including 60 in Inverness alone.
The police have released their annual statistics showing where registered sex offenders live across Scotland.
It revealed that there are 240 registered sex offenders living across the Highlands and islands.
Locals can now search for their postcode using an interactive map created by DC Thomson.
While the data does not identify the full postcode of where registered sex offenders live, it provides the first half making it possible to see the general area.
Officers also provide information confirming the number of missing or wanted sex offenders.
They said as of November this year, no sex offenders are registered missing.
However, the force is currently searching for 15 individuals, 13 of whom are believed to have left the UK.
Where do most sex offenders live in the Highlands and islands?
Some areas have more sex offenders registered as residing there than others, with 60 living in Inverness and 27 in Argyll and Bute.
Additionally, 20 sex offenders are registered in Shetland, 18 are living in the Western Isles and 13 are registered in Orkney.
In Inverness, the largest number of sex offenders reside in the IV2 area, which includes areas such as Culloden.
A total of 29 offenders are registered with an IV2 postcode, compared with 24 who have an IV3 postcode who live in areas like Dochgarroch.
Meanwhile, the IV1 area including the North Kessock area has seven registered sex offenders.
Check how many sex offenders live near you
You can use our interactive map to explore the areas of Scotland or enter the first half of your postcode to look at it in detail.
Meanwhile, in other parts of the Highlands, the highest concentration of sex offenders live in the PA23 area with 17 registered offenders and in the KW1 and IV12 areas with 12 offenders registered under each postcode.
In the islands, the highest number of sex offenders live in ZE1 on Shetland with 12 offenders living in the Lerwick area. In the Western Isles, the highest number of sex offenders are registered in HS2 on the Isle of Lewis.
Why is someone registered as a sex offender?
If someone is convicted of a sexual offence, their details will be held on the Sex Offenders Register.
Offences are not limited to those who harm children, but also include sexual crimes such as rape, sexual assault and indecent exposure.
Those who are required to register must do so at a police station within three days of their conviction or release from prison with details like their address and bank details.
They also have to notify officers if they plan to travel abroad or spend more than seven days away from home.
The police put risk assessments and offender management strategies in place to reduce the risk of harm to people living near sex offenders.
Registered sex offenders can be male or female and according to the police come from “all walks of life”.
A statement on their website says: “People who commit sexual offences differ in their level of impulsiveness, their sexual interests, their attitudes and beliefs about offending, their level of risk to the public, and their desire to change their behaviour.
“There appears to be a common belief all sex offenders have committed sexual offences against children, or present a risk of sexual harm to children. This is simply not the case. Not all sex offenders commit sexual offences against children nor do they all present a risk of sexual harm to children.”