Residential Location Choices of Sex Offenders in the Atlanta Region: A Multilevel and Spatial Analysis

• In Event: Spatial and Multilevel Perspectives

Abstract

Sex offenders are currently major groups that all levels of government focus on to control. Thus it is important to understand what factors are associated with residential location choices of sex offenders. The social disorganization theory suggests that criminal activities are greater in disorganized communities which are lack of capacity to establish effective social controls and regulate antisocial behavior. Empirical studies applying this theory find that sex offenders are concentrated in disadvantaged neighborhoods in terms of socio-economic and demographic characteristics. More recent studies find the emergence of sex offender clusters. We analyze factors affecting residential location choices of sex offenders using the sex offender registry and 2010 census data in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. Conclusions and policy implications will be discussed.

Authors

• Juyoung Song, Pennsylvania State University

• Hee-Jung Jun, SKKU