NCJ Number
217364
Journal
Justice Research and Policy Volume: 8 Issue: 2 Dated: 2006 Pages: 1-24
Date Published
2006
Length
24 pages
Annotation
Using a Geographic Information System (GIS), this study quantified the impact of residency restrictions on housing options for registered sex offenders, using Orange County, FL as a case study.
Abstract
The study found that housing options for registered sex offenders who are prohibited from living within a certain distance of places where children gather were limited to only 5 percent of potentially available parcels. Of the 1,000-foot restricted buffer zones where children gather--bus stops, day-care sites, parks, and schools--bus stops exerted the largest amount of restriction on housing areas available to registered sex offenders. This was followed by day-care sites, schools, parks, and child-centered attractions. The limited housing options available for registered sex offenders were mostly in low-density rural areas. These findings support the argument that residency restrictions for sex offenders contribute significantly to their social and economic isolation. In urban areas, the widespread adoption and enforcement of residency restrictions for registered sex offenders is likely to result in larger numbers of sex offenders being homeless and transient. Increasing the buffer zone from 1,000 to 2,500 feet had only a minor impact on housing options. Sixteen States have adopted residency restrictions and more are likely to follow. The logical result of increasing residency restrictions is the displacement of sex offenders to jurisdictions with more liberal or no restrictions. A GIS was used to identify all occupied residential properties, using parcel-level zoning data as well as those that fell within the 1,000-foot restricted buffer zones around areas that attracted children. 4 tables, 4 figures, and 33 references