Clearance Rates as a Function of Sex Offender Registry Implementation

• In Event: Advances in Sex Offense Policy Research: Law Enforcement Uses of Sex Offender Registration Systems

Abstract

Sex offender registration is intended to elicit several distinct benefits to communities, including crime prevention and assisting police in responding to sex crimes. While the crime prevention function of registration has been empirically tested, little work has examined the impact of registries on the clearance of sex crimes. Moreover, no research to date has tested whether stranger-perpetrated sex crimes were cleared faster after registries became available as a law enforcement tool. This study addresses this gap by drawing on the National Sex Offender Registry (NSOR) and the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) to examine closure speeds for stranger-perpetrated sex crimes prior to and after registry implementation. Using county level data, this research builds on and advances our understanding of the function of sex offender registries in relation to law enforcement. Policy implications are discussed.

Authors

• Andrew Tiedt, U.S. Department of Justice / Federal Bureau of Prisons

• Kristen M. Budd, Miami Univesity

• David M. Bierie, United States Marshals Service