NCJ Number
224181
Journal
Criminal Justice Studies: A Critical Journal of Crime, Law and Society Volume: 21 Issue: 2 Dated: June 2008 Pages: 153-166
Date Published
June 2008
Length
14 pages
Annotation
The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the impact of residence restrictions on sex offenders in Broward County, FL, and explore the financial, psychosocial, and practical impact of housing restrictions on sex offenders’ community adjustment and to better understand the perceptions of sex offenders regarding the utility of residence restrictions in protecting children from sexual abuse.
Abstract
Residence restrictions appear to interfere with social support and stability for most registered sex offenders. Many reported transience as a result of housing restrictions, including multiple moves and homelessness. Residence restrictions were especially detrimental for younger offenders. The data indicates that residence restrictions push sex offenders farther away from social services, employment, and public transportation and appear to increase transience and homelessness. This instability is unlikely to be in the best interest of public safety, and may undermine monitoring the whereabouts of sex offenders. Growing concern about sex offenders living in communities has led to the increasing popularity of residence restriction laws. Such policies prohibit convicted sex offenders from living within close proximity to places where children are likely to be present. The goal of these laws is to reduce the amount of contact that sex offenders have with children in residential neighborhoods, thereby preventing victimization. However, there is empirical data to confirm sex offenders’ reports that residence restrictions greatly diminish housing availability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the unintended consequences of policies that restrict where sex offenders can live. In Broward County, FL, 109 sex offenders were surveyed regarding the psychosocial, economic, and practical impact of such laws on their daily lives. Tables and references