Can the Registry Create Identity?: A Mixed Method Approach to Sex Offense Policy and Self-Making

• In Event: The Law's Impact on Private Lives at the Boundaries of the Criminal Justice System

Abstract

Research on sex offenders has largely focused on recidivism rates and collateral consequences. More recently, scholars using qualitative data have begun to consider other features of sex offender policy, such as identity formation due to exclusive practices. Using a combination of survey (n=348) and interview data (n=106) of registered sex offenders in the state of Nevada, I examine elements of identity consolidation. In survey data, I examine multiple theoretical features of identity consolidation, including in-group and out-group identification, perceptions of labels, cohesion with other registered citizens, and group politics as driving factors of a social identity and find mixed evidence for the development of social identity among registrants. Then, I place these findings in context using semi-structured interview questions. Interviews reveal that, consistent with a desire to protect an individual sense of self, participants reject key components of a group sensibility, such as sharing experiences with other offenders as a mechanism to combat the elements of spoiled identity. The interviews also highlight the ways in which state governmental policy can inhibit the development of collective identity in registered citizens—primarily through clauses AGAINST association and therapeutic program management.

Author

• Chris Wakefield, University of Nevada, Las Vegas