Residence Restriction Laws and Locations of Sexual Assaults: A NIBRS Analysis

• In Event: Advances in Sex Offense Policy Research: Sex Crime Patterns

Abstract

In the United States, certain laws posit that place is an important characteristic to take into consideration when managing convicted sex offenders in communities. Specifically, residence restrictions have an underlying assumption that convicted sex offenders should not reside by where children congregate due to children’s susceptibility to become potential victims. Using this underlying premise of residence restrictions, that location matters in reference to convicted sex offenders access to victims (i.e., children), we use over 20 years of National Incident Based Reporting System data to analyze offender, victim, and crime characteristics of sexual assaults that occur within residence restriction locations, like parks and playgrounds, in reference to locations that are not prohibited under residence restriction laws. While not a direct test of the efficacy of residence restrictions, this research takes an in-depth look at place and its role in incidents of sexual assault. Findings are discussed in relation to the premise of residence restrictions and in relation to broader sex offender policy.

Authors

• Kristen M. Budd, Miami Univesity

• Christina Mancini, Virginia Commonwealth University

• David M. Bierie, United States Marshals Service