Sentencing Outcomes of Sex Offenders in Arkansas

• In Event: Advances in Sex Offense Policy Research: Sex Offender Sentencing

Abstract

Prior research on sex offenders has focused on a number of issues such as the effects of registration and notification, residential restrictions, and civil commitments; however, there seems to be a limited understanding on sentencing decisions for this offender population. One possible explanation for this paucity of research is the perception of sex offenders as a homogenous group, where all convicted persons share the same characteristics, pathway to offending and level of risk to the community. However, legal statutes span a continuum of offending and victimization; thus, it is necessary to examine individual-level and contextual predictors of sentence severity with the goal of identifying judicial focal concerns as it pertains to sex offenders. The current proposal seeks to contribute to both sex offending and sentencing literature by examining the patterns of sex offending sanctioning. We pose the over-arching question “What elements and circumstances of sex offenses do court actors consider in their decision-making?” To answer our research question, we examined sentencing outcomes for sex offenders in Arkansas from 2000-2014. Based on our findings, we will provide policy implications.

Authors

• Benjamin Gibbs, Ball State University

• Tusty ten Bensel, University of Arkansas at Little Rock

• James Golden, University of Arkansas at Little Rock