NCJ Number
156560
Date Published
1993
Length
16 pages
Annotation
Sheriffs in all 39 counties and the chiefs of police in the 10 largest cities in Washington were surveyed in 1993 regarding their use of the 1990 Washington Community Protection Act, which requires sex offenders to register the sheriff in their county of residence within 24 hours of release and authorizes police agencies to notify the public when a sex offender with a high risk of recidivism settles in the community.
Abstract
The survey received an 88 percent response rate. Results revealed that in the 3 years following the law's passage, 176 sex offenders have been the subject of community notification. Ninety-three percent of the responding jurisdictions use the guidelines developed by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs; the remaining 7 percent have developed more detailed guidelines. Participants reported that 14 acts of harassment were directed at released sex offenders, and sometimes their families, following notification. A survey of Washington's school districts revealed that 15 percent have adopted written policies regarding how and when information on sex offenders will be distributed to students and parents. Figures, footnotes, and sample policies