Attitudes towards the Sex Offender Registry: A Comparison of Registrants and their Family Members

• In Event: Posters II

Abstract

Although intended to reduce recidivism and increase public safety, sex offender registries have been shown to produce unintended consequences, such as loss of housing, employment, and/or strained relationships, for both the registrants themselves as well as family members of registrants. Although multiple studies have documented the existence of these consequences using registrant-only samples, to date there has not been a comparison study that examines the degree to which the consequences impact the lives of those experiencing them using both registrant and non-registrant participants. This poster will present preliminary results from a survey given to registered sex offenders and family members of registrants in Texas. Survey analysis of roughly 200 participants will allow for the direct comparison of the experiences and attitudes relating to the registry for the target of registration laws as well as those indirectly impacted by the registry.

Authors

• Danielle Bailey, University of Texas at Tyler

• Jennifer L. Klein, University of Texas at Tyler