NCJ Number
243000
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 40 Issue: 4 Dated: April 2013 Pages: 438-452
Date Published
April 2013
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This article discusses a national U.S. sample of State-level policymakers (N = 61) who were interviewed about their perceptions of the sexual offenders in their State, their State's sex offender laws, and collateral consequences of these laws, among other efficacy questions.
Abstract
In the first investigation of its kind, a national U.S. sample of State-level policymakers (N = 61) were interviewed about their perceptions of the sexual offenders in their State, their State's sex offender laws, and collateral consequences of these laws, among other efficacy questions. Respondents were selected nonrandomly, as policymakers who sponsored sex offender bills were deliberately targeted for inclusion in the study. It was presumed these respondents would be more knowledgeable about sex offenders and sex offender laws. Results indicated that most respondents were familiar with the sex offender legislation in their State, that most of the laws were drafted with hopes of increasing public safety, and that policy makers believed their laws were functioning as intended, although empirical data are lacking to support these latter claims. Despite a strong conviction that sex offender laws are necessary to control sexual recidivism, policymakers discussed numerous complications and potentially deleterious effects of their own laws. Abstract published by arrangement with Sage Journals.