Abstract
The perceptions and attitudes that policymakers and criminal justice practitioners have about sexual offending and sexual victimization affects how state lawmakers respond to sex crimes, and how practitioners implement sex offender legislation. Policymakers continue to create new sex offender laws and, as such, the number of convicted sex offenders continues to rise. Thus, policymakers and criminal justice practitioners are increasingly important players in the public policy response to sexual criminals. To better understand the motivation, rationale, content, and purpose of statewide sex offender laws, and their role in the day-to-day management of convicted sex offenders, a non-probability sample of policymakers (n = 61) and criminal justice practitioners (n = 25) from across the country were interviewed. Results indicated that nearly all respondents from both groups were familiar/very familiar with their state-level sex offender laws. Policymakers and practitioners also mentioned the influential role that specific victimizations play in creating a perceived need for more sex offender legislation. The politicians and the practitioners view the laws as effective public safety mechanisms. Still, both groups noted serious problems with the laws. Furthermore, policymakers had a more negative attitude about the efficacy of sex offender therapy than criminal justice respondents. Suggestions for future research and policy implications are offered.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 616-638 |
| Number of pages | 23 |
| Journal | American Journal of Criminal Justice |
| Volume | 38 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 1 2013 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Law
Keywords
- Criminal justice practitioners
- Perceptions
- Policymakers
- Public policy
- Sex offender legislation
Cite this
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Views from the Top and Bottom : Lawmakers and Practitioners Discuss Sex Offender Laws. / Meloy, Michelle; Boatwright, Jessica; Curtis, Kristin.
In: American Journal of Criminal Justice, Vol. 38, No. 4, 01.12.2013, p. 616-638.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Views from the Top and Bottom
T2 - Lawmakers and Practitioners Discuss Sex Offender Laws
AU - Meloy, Michelle
AU - Boatwright, Jessica
AU - Curtis, Kristin
PY - 2013/12/1
Y1 - 2013/12/1
N2 - The perceptions and attitudes that policymakers and criminal justice practitioners have about sexual offending and sexual victimization affects how state lawmakers respond to sex crimes, and how practitioners implement sex offender legislation. Policymakers continue to create new sex offender laws and, as such, the number of convicted sex offenders continues to rise. Thus, policymakers and criminal justice practitioners are increasingly important players in the public policy response to sexual criminals. To better understand the motivation, rationale, content, and purpose of statewide sex offender laws, and their role in the day-to-day management of convicted sex offenders, a non-probability sample of policymakers (n = 61) and criminal justice practitioners (n = 25) from across the country were interviewed. Results indicated that nearly all respondents from both groups were familiar/very familiar with their state-level sex offender laws. Policymakers and practitioners also mentioned the influential role that specific victimizations play in creating a perceived need for more sex offender legislation. The politicians and the practitioners view the laws as effective public safety mechanisms. Still, both groups noted serious problems with the laws. Furthermore, policymakers had a more negative attitude about the efficacy of sex offender therapy than criminal justice respondents. Suggestions for future research and policy implications are offered.
AB - The perceptions and attitudes that policymakers and criminal justice practitioners have about sexual offending and sexual victimization affects how state lawmakers respond to sex crimes, and how practitioners implement sex offender legislation. Policymakers continue to create new sex offender laws and, as such, the number of convicted sex offenders continues to rise. Thus, policymakers and criminal justice practitioners are increasingly important players in the public policy response to sexual criminals. To better understand the motivation, rationale, content, and purpose of statewide sex offender laws, and their role in the day-to-day management of convicted sex offenders, a non-probability sample of policymakers (n = 61) and criminal justice practitioners (n = 25) from across the country were interviewed. Results indicated that nearly all respondents from both groups were familiar/very familiar with their state-level sex offender laws. Policymakers and practitioners also mentioned the influential role that specific victimizations play in creating a perceived need for more sex offender legislation. The politicians and the practitioners view the laws as effective public safety mechanisms. Still, both groups noted serious problems with the laws. Furthermore, policymakers had a more negative attitude about the efficacy of sex offender therapy than criminal justice respondents. Suggestions for future research and policy implications are offered.
KW - Criminal justice practitioners
KW - Perceptions
KW - Policymakers
KW - Public policy
KW - Sex offender legislation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84887406471&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84887406471&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s12103-012-9189-8
DO - 10.1007/s12103-012-9189-8
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84887406471
VL - 38
SP - 616
EP - 638
JO - American Journal of Criminal Justice
JF - American Journal of Criminal Justice
SN - 1066-2316
IS - 4
ER -