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Journal of Sexual Aggression: An international, interdisciplinary forum for research, theory and practice |
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Original Articles The utility of sex offender registration: a research note
The utility of sex offender registration: a research note† The ideas and opinions expressed in this paper do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Marshals Service, The U.S. Department of Justice, or any component therein.View all notes
† The ideas and opinions expressed in this paper do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Marshals Service, The U.S. Department of Justice, or any component therein.View all notes
- DOI:
- 10.1080/13552600.2015.1100760
- Received: 7 Mar 2015
- Accepted: 23 Sep 2015
- Published online: 12 Nov 2015
ABSTRACT
Sex offender registries are one of the more hotly debated and polarising topics in criminology. Registries are generally perceived as valuable by the public, legislators, and law enforcement. However, academics and treatment providers have largely remained critical, arguing registries are costly and ineffective. Continued support despite these claims has led some scholars to suggest that proponents are unaware of evidence, indifferent to science, and perhaps driven by emotions. Yet this conclusion denies important facts. First, statistical evidence shows that registrants are at far higher risk of committing a sex crime than the general public. Second, high-quality empirical research suggests that enacting registries is associated with significant decreases in sex offences. Third, there is prima facie evidence that registration has assisted in police investigations and prevented sexual crimes. Recognising these arguments is likely an important step towards improving the quality of debate, science, and policy on registration.
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- Received: 7 Mar 2015
- Accepted: 23 Sep 2015
- Published online: 12 Nov 2015
Author affiliations
- a Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
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