NCJ Number
233887
Journal
Crime & Delinquency Volume: 53 Issue: 3 Dated: July 2007 Pages: 380-407
Date Published
June 2007
Length
28 pages
Annotation
This study examined sex offenders view of registries.
Abstract
Sex offender registries (SORs) are a societal response to serious and presumably dangerous criminal offenders. Existing research on registries has focused on demographic overviews of registrants, assessments of registrants' recidivism, accuracy and completeness of listed information, and collateral consequences for registrants. The present research assesses the perceptions of registrants regarding the value of SORs as a tool to enhance community awareness and promote public safety. In addition, this study examines offenders' perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of registry format and structure and suggestions for improvement. Results show that registrants see significant potential for registries but seriously question the efficacy and efficiency of how registries are currently constructed and used. (Published Abstract) Table, notes, and references