NCJ Number
209455
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 49 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2005 Pages: 168-178
Date Published
April 2005
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study explored the effect of residence restrictions on sex offender community reintegration and explored the perceptions of sex offenders regarding these laws.
Abstract
Fourteen States have placed legal restrictions on where sex offenders may live, prohibiting them from living within close proximity to schools, parks, day care centers, or school bus stops. While the protection of children is certainly a priority, some critics have proposed that such housing restrictions place excessive limitations on sex offenders, possibly forcing them to live in rural areas that isolate them from treatment and employment options. The current exploratory study drew on a nonrandom sample of 135 sex offenders from 2 outpatient sex offender counseling centers in Florida to assess the impact of residence restrictions on the reintegration of sex offenders and to gain an understanding of sex offenders’ perceptions of these laws. Participants completed a survey questionnaire designed for this study that probed demographic data, offense history, and perceptions of residence restrictions. A majority of the participants indicated that the residence restrictions increased their isolation, caused them to move from their residence, created financial and emotional stress, and decreased their sense of stability. Most participants did not agree that such restrictions would decrease chances of re-offending; in fact, some respondents indicated that residence restrictions might actually lead to an increased chance of reoffending because of the many deleterious outcomes of the restrictions. Future research should work toward empirically clarifying the findings of this exploratory study. Policy implications are discussed and include the need for more individualized approaches to sex offender management that are based on a thorough assessment of past offense patterns and current risk factors. Tables, references