NCJ Number
224351
Journal
Justice Quarterly Volume: 25 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2008 Pages: 469-495
Date Published
September 2008
Length
27 pages
Annotation
This work examined the relationship between community characteristics and the residential patterns of sex offenders.
Abstract
The study articulated findings from mapping and regression analyses that suggested a greater concentration of sex offenders in disadvantaged communities than in more affluent communities. It is suggested that, to the extent that community notification allows residents of more affluent communities to mobilize resources in order to remove identified sex offenders, the geographical clustering of these offenders in areas already facing a greater risk and having fewer resources to manage the problem may increase. The work notes that community notification laws have been passed by the Federal Government and legislature of every State, and, at the very least, these laws require local law enforcement officials to publicize the personal and residential information of known sex offenders. The study examined the relationship between community characteristics and the residential patterns of sex offenders. The authors note that as previous research and other social commentary have begun to assess the effects of community notification on targeted sex offenders and on criminal justice practices and practitioners, but the potential consequences of the policy for different types of communities have received only scant attention. Implications of findings in terms of “concentrated disadvantage” are also discussed. Data were derived from sex offender registry and calendar year 2000 U.S. Census data for two States, Nebraska and Oklahoma. These States were chosen on the basis of geography and their systems of community notification. Figures, tables, references, and appendix A-B