NCJ Number
232494
Journal
Victims and Offenders Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2008 Pages: 75-85
Date Published
January 2008
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study assessed the routine activities theory through a study of sexual offenses measuring the presence and types of suitable targets and the existence of guardians and guardianship structures.
Abstract
Recent policies enacted regarding sex offenders include the formation of a publicly accessible sex offender registry, community notification, and residential restrictions. Often the motivation behind these policies is to get information out about sex offenders to community members so that these communities can effectively guard against any revictimization by the sex offenders among them. Theoretically, the premise for this type of legislation corresponds to relationships specified by routine activities theory. The theory states that if guardians can interrupt potential offenders as they are preying on suitable targets, these crimes-in-the-making will not occur. The present study assesses routine activities theory via a study of the presence of potential offenders (as measured by the number of registered sex offenders in the area), as well as community and resident characteristics that measure the presence and types of suitable targets and the existence of guardians and guardianship structures. The study found that only the presence of certain types of suitable targets had an influence on the variation in the rate of sex offenses across these communities. Policy implications are discussed. (Published Abstract)