Sex offender residence restriction laws: Parental perceptions and public policy

Despite a steady decline in sex crime over the past twenty years, new laws, such as residence restrictions, targeting such crime have proliferated. Some scholars have argued that public concern about sexual offending against young children has served as a catalyst for the emergence of these laws. Few studies, however, have empirically tested this claim. To address this gap and to contribute to scholarship on public opinion about crime and justice, this research tests a central implication flowing from prior work—namely, the notion that people with children will be more likely to endorse increased restrictions on where sex offenders can live. Analyses of public opinion data from a 2006 poll of Florida residents suggest that parents are indeed significantly more likely to support such restrictions. Implications of the study for research and policy are discussed.

Research Highlights►Few studies have explored parental perceptions about sex offender laws. ►Using public opinion data from a 2006 survey of Florida residents, the study found that parents, compared to individuals without children, were significantly more likely to support laws that prohibit where sex offenders can live. ►Findings also indicate that having multiple children (not just one child) significantly increased support for residence restriction laws, and this effect appeared to be greater among parents with more children.