The Effect of Violent and Drug Offender Registries on Crime and Recidivism

• In Event: Institutions and Crime: Policy Impacts on Safety, Reintegration, and Civic Participation

Abstract

People with felony criminal convictions are subject to many legal restrictions and reporting requirements. Sex offender registries are ubiquitous, a lesser-known legal requirement are violent offender and drug offender registries, which have been implemented by nine states. Affected parties must keep registration current and re-register after any change of address, student or employment status. Failure to maintain an up-to-date registration can result in re-imprisonment, a new sentence, and fine.States adopt registries to increase public and law enforcement awareness about the location of people with dangerous criminal, aiming to allow people to better protect themselves and to allow law enforcement to be more responsive to crime. While, the information channel aims reduce crime, the time, financial, and social costs to covered offenders may affect their ability to find employment or housing and affect their ability to successfully re-enter society. This paper will use the state variation in violent and drug offender registry adoption to look at the effect on covered offenders' recidivism and crime rates.

Author

• Grace Nettie Phillips, University of Memphis
  Presenting Author