Sex Offenders: How Age Affects Reentry

• In Event: Sources of Variation in Experiences of Reentry

Abstract

Given that sex offenders are often older than their non-sex offender counterparts when first arrested, convicted, and incarcerated for crimes, and sex offender sentence lengths have consistently increased, there is an ever growing population of aging sex offenders reentering society from prison. Using interview methodology among a sample of older (50 and older) and younger (49 and younger) sex offenders in the community, four research questions were investigated: 1) What obstacles do older sex offenders have when reentering back into the community that younger offenders may not?; 2) How do sex offenders age 50 and older prioritize their obstacles to reentry as compared to those 49 and younger; 3) How did they overcome these obstacles?; and 4) What do they think should be done to help older sex offenders transition back into the community, and how does this compare to the suggestions for younger sex offender populations? Answers to these questions can be used to help articulate reentry plans for both older and younger sex offenders returning to the community in order to enhance public safety.

Author

• Rita Augustyn, University of Nebraska at Omaha