Community Response to Sex Offenders

Abstract

Sex offender community notification statutes have been enacted to provide community members with relevant information for assessing risk of sexual victimization and to guide precautionary behavior. Prior research has found that community members receiving sex offender notification are significantly more likely to engage in precautionary measures to prevent crime victimization to themselves and household members, and has indicated that sex offender notification is significantly related to self-fear of victimization. Research has not, however, taken into consideration the relationship between protective behavior, fear of victimization, and perceived risk of victimization. This study expands the literature on notification statutes by comparing the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral reactions of community members who have received sex offender notification with the reactions of community members who have not. Drawing upon survey analysis from Hamilton County, Ohio, we find that receiving notification that a sex offender has moved into a community significantly influences perceived risk of victimization and the behaviors individuals engage in to protect household members from crime victimization, but does not produce a significant effect on fear of victimization.

Sex offender notification: An exploratory assessment of state variation in notification processes

“…Prior research had indicated that community notification of the presence of sex offenders results in heightened vigilance and increased precautionary behavior among residents (Beck et al, 2004;Beck & Travis, 2004a, 2004c. It is not known if these increased protective behaviors are effective in reducing criminal victimization, but it seems reasonable to assume that it would result in lower vulnerability to victimization.…”

“…Beck and Travis (2004b) found that receiving notification might increase fear of victimization. When considering the relationship between fear, perceived risk of victimization and protective behavior, Beck, Clingermayer, Ramsey, and Travis (2004) found that receiving notification that a sex offender moved into a community significantly influenced perceived self-risk of victimization, and the behaviors in which individuals engaged to protect themselves and others from crime victimization, but did not produce a significant effect on fear of victimization.…”

“…While adding to the understanding of the impact of notification statutes on community members, the studies conducted by Travis (2004a, 2004b) and Beck et al (2004), were exploratory studies limited to a single county in one state and did not consider the effect of state variation in notification processes. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (Adams, 2002) reported that, as of early 2001, three basic notification processes were used.…”

Too Close for Comfort? Registered Sex Offender Spatial Clustering and Recidivistic Sex Crime Arrest Rates

“…This is not surprising, as media reports have identified high fear levels for residents who lived near "clusters" of such RSOs (Bain & German, 2006;Kilgannon, 2008). These anecdotal stories have also been supported by research evidence (e.g., Kernsmith, Craun, & Foster, 2009;Zevitz, 2004; but see Beck, Clingermayer, Ramsey, & Travis, 2004). Further, proximity to RSOs has been related to economic consequences, such as decreased housing values (Larsen, Lowrey, & Coleman, 2003;Linden & Rockoff, 2008;Pope, 2008).…”

Public Attitudes Toward Sexual Offenders and Sex Offender Registration

“…If the registry is seen to increase one's safety, fear may not be impacted. Some studies have found that notification does not impact fear of victimization overall (Beck, Clingermayer, Ramsey, & Travis, 2004;Beck & Travis, 2004a). Levenson and colleagues (2007) completed a survey in Florida with almost 200 subjects to examine perceptions about sex offenders, sex offender registries, and fear.…”