Sheep in Wolf's Clothing or a Wolf in Sheep's Clothing? Ohio Sex Offender Registration and the Role of Science

• NCJ Number: 232768
• Journal: Criminal Justice Policy Review Volume: 21 Issue: 4 Dated: December 2010 Pages: 500-519
• Author(s): Kimberly Gentry Sperber; Christopher T. Lowenkamp; David E. Carter; Randy Allman
• Date Published: December 2010
• Length: 20 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the relationship between the probability for a sex offender to reoffend and their level of classification in Ohio's sex offender registration system.

Abstract

Many sex offender registration and notification procedures use an assignment process that places offenders into a lower, middle, or upper tier. This implies that the offenders on the lowest tier pose less risk than those on the highest tier; yet empirical testing of this assumption is lacking. As a first step to determining whether this approach correctly identifies the dangerousness of sex offenders, this study seeks to determine whether there is a statistically significant relationship between a sex offender's probability of reoffending and his registration and notification assignment in an Ohio sample of male sex offenders. Chi-square results showed no significant relationship between a sex offender's probability of reoffending and his registration and notification assignment. Regression results demonstrated only two variables to be predictive of registration assignmentprior sex offenses and current first degree felony offense while other variables shown to be correlated to sex offending were not predictive of registration assignment. Tables, notes, and references (Published Abstract)