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Residential Location and Mobility of Registered Sex Offenders

NCJ Number
214018
Journal
American Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 30 Issue: 2 Dated: Spring 2006 Pages: 177-192
Author(s)
Elizabeth Mustaine Ph.D.; Richard Tewksbury Ph.D.; Kenneth Stengel
Date Published
2006
Length
16 pages
Annotation
Building on previous literature in regards to where registered sex offenders reside, this study assessed the characteristics of their present location with the location occupied at the time of arrest.
Abstract
The majority of registered sex offenders (RSOs) do change residence after their conviction, but a significant minority, almost 36 percent do not move. However, in regards to those who do change residence, there is no clear pattern suggesting that RSOs move to more socially disorganized or less desirable locations. For those who changed residential locations since the time of their arrest, approximately one-half moved to less socially disorganized locations and one-half moved to more socially disorganized communities. The findings may suggest that the issue of housing may be a serious collateral consequence for some RSOs. For this reason, it may be important to view changes in residential location as a collateral consequence that interacts with economic and employment issues which are also cited as collateral consequences of sex offender registration. In order to assess the residential locations, any changes in residential locations, and characteristics of those locations, RSOs current addresses were compared to addresses of the same individuals at the time of their arrests. Data for 271 registered sex offenders were obtained and analyzed from a list of registered sex offenders in Jefferson County, KY in 2005. References