NCJ Number
235097
Journal
Aggression and Violent Behavior Volume: 16 Issue: 3 Dated: May/June 2011 Pages: 177-187
Date Published
June 2011
Length
11 pages
Annotation
The article describes the unanticipated consequences of GPS monitoring for sex offenders.
Abstract
There is little question that sex related crimes are a serious social problem. These forms of predation have devastating consequences for victims, families, and communities. Sexual-related crimes cause untold physical and psychological trauma to victims and need effective strategies for the community corrections field to supervise sex offenders in the community. This article first describes what is meant by unanticipated consequences as defined by Robert K. Merton. Following this discussion, the article describes five unanticipated consequences of recent legislation mandating the use of GPS monitoring for sex offenders. Criminal justice researchers should analyze the wide reaching policy effects of GPS sex offender laws. It is argued that the use of GPS tracking for sex offenders is an under researched and theorized criminal justice policy that should not be seen as a way of solving sex related crimes, but simply as another tool that may enhance community supervision. (Published Abstract)