Falling on Deaf Ears: The Effect of Criminological Research Findings on Public Support for Sex Offender Residence Restrictions

• In Event: Advances in Sexual Offense Policy Research: Residency Restrictions and Housing

Abstract

Previous research has suggested that the general public is supportive of sex offender management policies, such as residence restrictions, and that this support persists even when presented with research that suggests these policies are not effective. We utilize a factorial survey experiment and a nationally representative sample (N ~ 1,000) to examine the relationship between support for residence restrictions, and 1) the type of research findings (i.e., lack of public safety effects vs. collateral consequences), and 2) the manner in which those findings are presented (i.e., anecdotal vs. scientific). Implications for practice and research will be discussed.

Authors

• Jason Rydberg, University of Massachusetts, Lowell

• Kelly M Socia, University of Massachusetts, Lowell

• Christopher P Dum, Kent State University