NCJ Number
214445
Journal
Criminal Justice Studies Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Dated: March 2006 Pages: 61-75
Date Published
March 2006
Length
15 pages
Annotation
Drawing on observational data from Seminole County, FL, this study explored the residential proximity of sex offenders to places children congregated and the neighborhood conditions present in such communities.
Abstract
Results indicated that only about half of the sex offenders subject to restrictions on residential locations in Seminole County were in compliance with those restrictions. However, only a moderate proportion of sex offenders resided close to the types of locations where children regularly congregated. Less than one in four sex offenders lived close to a park or playground and approximately one in seven lived close to a school, day care center, or fast food restaurant. Evidence also indicated that sex offenders who re-offended against children found their victims away from their home or neighborhood. In terms of neighborhood characteristics, sex offenders were observed to live in a wide variety of types of neighborhoods. While a moderate proportion of sex offenders lived in neighborhoods characterized by social disorganization, more than one in three lived in close proximity to a church. Implications of the findings for routine activities theory are unclear. Researchers examined data from the list of registered sex offenders in Seminole County, FL to determine the residences of sex offenders. A randomly selected sample of 100 registered sex offenders was chosen for the visual inspection of their homes and neighborhoods. Neighborhoods were visually inspected using an approximate 1,000-foot radius from the offender’s home. Specific characteristics under observation included the presence or absence of abandoned cars, businesses, vacant lots, graffiti, and litter, among other factors. Analysis of the data involved the calculation of frequencies and cross tabulations. Limitations of the research are discussed and include the use of data from only one county. Future research should examine the role of community conditions and congregation locations of potential victims for other types of criminal offenses. Tables, notes, references