Police officer perspectives on the implementation of a sex offender community notification scheme

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 261-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Whitting ◽  
Andrew Day ◽  
Martine Powell
Keyword(s):  
Sex Offenders ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Sex Offender ◽  
The United States ◽  
Community Notification ◽  
Megan's Law ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Australian State ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Depth Interviews

Community notification statutes, popularly known as ‘Megan’s Law’, were passed in rapid succession throughout the United States following the enactment of landmark legislation in the state of Washington in 1990. Calls for the adoption of similar legislation in Australia gained momentum following the introduction of ‘limited disclosure’ schemes in the United Kingdom and, in 2012, one Australian state introduced a limited form of community notification. This study presents an analysis of in-depth interviews with specialist police officers ( N=21) who are responsible for coordinating the ongoing management, registration and monitoring of sex offenders who live in the community in this jurisdiction to understand their perspectives on the scheme’s implementation. Systematic thematic analysis revealed that the officers were particularly interested in understanding the impact that notification has on offenders, victims and the broader community, and the police agency. The practice-based wisdom distilled from these interviews is used to inform a discussion about the more widespread implementation of this type of public policy both in Australia and in other countries that may be giving this consideration.

scholarly journals The War on Sex Offenders: Community Notification in Perspective

2001 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 256-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lyn Hinds ◽  
Kathleen Daly
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Sex Offenders ◽  
Sex Offender ◽  
The United States ◽  
Community Notification ◽  
Megan's Law ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Campaign ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Naming And Shaming

This article explores the contemporary phenomenon of “naming and shaming” sex offenders. Community notification laws, popularly known as Megan's Law, which authorise the public disclosure of the identity of convicted sex offenders to the community in which they live, were enacted throughout the United States in the 1990s. A public campaign to introduce “Sarah's Law” has recently been launched in Britain, following the death of eight-year old Sarah Payne. Why are sex offenders, and certain categories of sex offenders, singled out as targets of community notification laws? What explains historical variability in the form that sex offender laws take? We address these questions by reviewing the sexual psychopath laws enacted in the United States in the 1930s and 40s and the sexual predator and community notification laws of the 1990s, comparing recent developments in the United States with those in Britain, Canada, and Australia. We consider arguments by Garland, O'Malley, Pratt, and others on how community notification, and the control of sex offenders more generally, can be explained; and we speculate on the likelihood that Australia will adopt community notification laws.

‘Y’all need to hide your kids, hide your wife’: Mobile applications, risk and sex offender databases

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 2469-2484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharif Mowlabocus
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Sex Offenders ◽  
Mobile Applications ◽  
Sex Offender ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mobile Mapping ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

This article reflects upon recent developments in sex offender tracking and monitoring. Taking as its focus a suite of mobile applications available for use in the United States, the author explores the impact and consequences of remediating the data held by State offender databases. The article charts the recent history of techno-corrections as it applies to this category of criminal, before then undertaking an analysis of current remediation of this legally obtained data. In doing so, the author identifies how the recontextualizing of data serves to (re)negotiate the relationship between the user, the database and registered sex offenders. The author concludes by arguing that the (mobile) mapping of offender databases serves to obscure the original intentions of these recording mechanisms and might hinder their effectiveness in reducing sex offending.

Do Views on Sex Offending Vary by Nationality? A Comparative Analysis of Community Sentiment Toward Sex Offense Legislation in the United States and United Kingdom

2020 ◽  
pp. 0306624X2096416
Author(s):  
Devin Cowan ◽  
Kristen M. Zgoba ◽  
Rob T. Guerette ◽  
Jill S. Levenson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Sex Offenders ◽  
Sex Offender ◽  
International Comparisons ◽  
The United States ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Sex Offense

Much attention has been paid to the examination of community sentiment regarding convicted sex offenders and the policy that governs these offenders’ behavior. This literature, however, has largely been absent of international comparisons of sex offender community sentiment. The current study seeks to fill this gap by drawing from the results of surveys ( n = 333) conducted in both the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK). Results indicate that sex offender policy is generally supported in both the US and the UK. Contrary to our expectations, we found that participants from the UK were less tolerant of sex offenders residing in their neighborhoods than participants from the US. Additionally, there is support for the notion that sex offender policy holds a symbolic value for both study locations. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

scholarly journals Managing Risk of Sex Offenders Released from Prisons: An exploration of how local communities respond to these events

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Jordan Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Sex Offenders ◽  
Sexual Offenders ◽  
Sex Offender ◽  
State Power ◽  
The State ◽  
Risk Society ◽  
Community Notification ◽  
Central State ◽  
Neoliberal Restructuring ◽  
The Impact

<p><b>Throughout the main Anglo-American democracies, state power has been tested in recent decades by the presentation of the risks posed by sexual offenders. The capacity of the state to take decisive action in these jurisdictions has been significantly challenged by neoliberal restructuring from the 1980s onwards, and criminal justice has been one of many policy areas affected by the shrinking of central state power. The development of intolerance for risk of sexual harm posed specifically by offenders released from prison has provided an opportunity for the state to take unique action to maintain an impression of control. As governments have sought extraordinary legislative and policy measures to control or remove these specific risks of sexual harm from the community, communities and individuals have responded to their place in the ecosystem of the risk society.</b></p> <p>The release of a high-risk sex offender into a community is a microcosm of the modus operandi of the modern state, providing a context through which the operation of the modern risk society can be examined. This thesis explores the reactions of three New Zealand communities to instances of de facto community notification of sex offender release, and explains the differences in their reactions through the lens of Zygmunt Bauman’s (2000a) Liquid Modernity. In each of the three case studies of Whanganui, Napier, and Ōtāhuhu I examine the processes around an instance of community release, the reactions of the community, and the impact of the incident within the community and the implications of this for our understanding of risk society.</p>

Community Experience With Public Sex Offender Registries in the United States: A National Survey

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 258-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Harris ◽  
Rebecca Cudmore
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Sex Offenders ◽  
Political Ideology ◽  
Sex Offender ◽  
The United States ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Community Notification ◽  
National Assessment ◽  
Public Sex ◽  
Protective Actions

Since the first sex offender community notification laws in the early 1990s, the expansion of online sex offender registries (SORs) in the United States has offered Americans unprecedented access to information about previously convicted sex offenders living in their communities. Despite this, survey data suggest that relatively few citizens use SORs and that even fewer use that information for specific protective purposes. The current study examines the patterns and correlates of SOR usage among a stratified nationwide sample of 1,000 U.S. adults, offering the most extensive national assessment to date of SOR use among the U.S. public. Although 45% of the sample reported that they had accessed an SOR (higher than rates reported in previous studies), the majority had done so only once or twice, most typically out of general curiosity rather than for a specific purpose. Separating these “casual users” from those who had consulted the SOR more frequently, the study revealed significant effects related to gender, age, race, political ideology, and importance of religion. Analyses also found the most frequent users to be significantly more likely to report diminished feelings of safety as a result of viewing SOR information and to engage in protective actions, including the sharing of information with family and neighbors. Policy implications for the design and implementation of public SORs are discussed.

Volunteer Police: What Predicts Confidence in Training?

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 1010-1022
Author(s):  
Adam Dobrin ◽  
Ross Wolf ◽  
Ian K. Pepper ◽  
Seth W. Fallik
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
The United States ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Part Time ◽  
The Impact

Volunteer police are used in both the United States and the Unite Kingdom to expand the services provided by full-time police personnel. The models of volunteer policing that have developed in the United States and the United Kingdom are based on the same concept, but differ in their level of operational preparedness and training. The utilization and confidence of these volunteer police in performing the functions of the police has been understudied. This current study builds on previous studies to develop a broader understanding of the confidence in training of part-time volunteer police officers by using a convenience sampling of three U.K. Northern Police Forces and three U.S. Florida Sheriff’s Offices. Results show the impact of individual-level variables on confidence in training preparation, with time since initial training having the largest impact. Later formal professional training appears to have little to no impact on confidence. Limitations and policy implications are discussed.

Living Arrangements for Sex Offenders in Ohio: Effects of Economics, Law, and Government Assistance Programs

2018 ◽  
Vol 98 (5) ◽  
pp. 544-559
Author(s):  
Shawn M. Rolfe ◽  
Richard Tewksbury ◽  
Karen F. Lahm
Keyword(s):  
Sex Offenders ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Sex Offender ◽  
Family Members ◽  
The United States ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Megan's Law ◽  
Government Assistance ◽  
Assistance Programs ◽  
Housing Needs

Throughout the United States, Sex Offender Registration and Notification (SORN) laws have created housing issues for registered sex offenders (RSOs). As a result of SORN, many RSOs may need to rely on family members for their housing needs. This study, drawing on data from 188 adult male RSOs in Ohio, focused on two separate SORN laws (i.e., Megan’s Law and the Adam Walsh Act). The findings suggest that neither law influences RSOs’ living with family members. However, the results did conclude that an RSO’s income, receipt of government assistance, or being on probation/parole predicted the odds of living with family members. Policy implications of such findings are discussed.

scholarly journals Managing Risk of Sex Offenders Released from Prisons: An exploration of how local communities respond to these events

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Jordan Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Sex Offenders ◽  
Sexual Offenders ◽  
Sex Offender ◽  
State Power ◽  
The State ◽  
Risk Society ◽  
Community Notification ◽  
Central State ◽  
Neoliberal Restructuring ◽  
The Impact

<p><b>Throughout the main Anglo-American democracies, state power has been tested in recent decades by the presentation of the risks posed by sexual offenders. The capacity of the state to take decisive action in these jurisdictions has been significantly challenged by neoliberal restructuring from the 1980s onwards, and criminal justice has been one of many policy areas affected by the shrinking of central state power. The development of intolerance for risk of sexual harm posed specifically by offenders released from prison has provided an opportunity for the state to take unique action to maintain an impression of control. As governments have sought extraordinary legislative and policy measures to control or remove these specific risks of sexual harm from the community, communities and individuals have responded to their place in the ecosystem of the risk society.</b></p> <p>The release of a high-risk sex offender into a community is a microcosm of the modus operandi of the modern state, providing a context through which the operation of the modern risk society can be examined. This thesis explores the reactions of three New Zealand communities to instances of de facto community notification of sex offender release, and explains the differences in their reactions through the lens of Zygmunt Bauman’s (2000a) Liquid Modernity. In each of the three case studies of Whanganui, Napier, and Ōtāhuhu I examine the processes around an instance of community release, the reactions of the community, and the impact of the incident within the community and the implications of this for our understanding of risk society.</p>

scholarly journals The Utility of Post-Conviction Polygraph Testing Among Sexual Offenders

Sexual Abuse ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 367-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Elliott ◽  
Birgit Vollm
Keyword(s):  
Sex Offenders ◽  
Sexual Offenders ◽  
Deviant Behavior ◽  
Evaluation Studies ◽  
The United States ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Recidivism Rates ◽  
Sexual Offenses ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Impact

It is often difficult to ascertain the true extent and nature of sexually deviant behavior, as much relies on self-report or historic information. The polygraph has been proposed as a useful tool in the treatment and supervision of sex offenders. The current review aims to provide a coherent, objective, and recent synthesis of evaluation studies exploring the utility of the post-conviction polygraph (PCSOT) in the treatment and management of sexual offenders. This was assessed based on offense recidivism rates and disclosure; self-reported utility was also considered. Nineteen studies were identified from the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands with no randomized controlled trials identified. Overall, there was a significant increase in relevant disclosures associated with the polygraph. The impact on reoffending rates was significant for violent but not sexual offenses. A number of methodological factors introduced the potential for bias in a significant number of studies reviewed in this review.

What Predicts Where Sex Offenders Live? An Examination of Census Tract Data in Minnesota

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 488-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie A. Clark ◽  
Grant Duwe
Keyword(s):  
Sex Offenders ◽  
Sex Offender ◽  
Geographic Area ◽  
The United States ◽  
Housing Affordability ◽  
Community Notification ◽  
Residential Patterns ◽  
Residency Restrictions ◽  
Large Geographic Area ◽  
Multiple Categories

Communities across the United States have become increasingly concerned over the presence of sex offenders in their neighborhoods. The purpose of this research is to examine the factors that are associated with the concentration of sex offenders in a large geographic area with few residency restrictions. This research also examines multiple categories of sex offenders subject to varying levels of community notification, allowing for an assessment of what, if any, effect community notification has on the residential patterns of sex offenders. Concentrated disadvantage, concentrated affluence, and housing affordability are all significant factors in explaining the concentration of multiple categories of sex offenders. Concentrated affluence relative to poverty is the most consistent predictor of sex offender concentration, revealing that more affluent communities ward off sex offender residents, regardless of community notification requirements.

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