NCJ Number
223580
Journal
Howard Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 47 Issue: 3 Dated: July 2008 Pages: 259-274
Date Published
July 2008
Length
16 pages
Annotation
The research on which this article is based was commissioned to investigate public opinion in relation to sex offenders and their reintegration into communities, and provides a significant snapshot of attitudes and views on the management of sex offenders in the community.
Abstract
The data suggests that what people think about the management of sex offenders in the community spans a broad spectrum of opinion. However, it is apparent that there is considerable public anxiety in relation to how sex offenders are to be managed, and there appears to be an underlying skepticism that criminal justice professionals can provide an adequate level of protection. The response indicates a level of confusion, or an acceptance that sex offenders will be released into the community. Consequently, forms of community notification are a favored strategy. There is little research evidence that community notification results in greater levels of protection; it does, however, possibly result in higher levels of anxiety by local communities and a greater sense of insecurity. This research argues that public opinion will remain confused about the issues, and the high degree of skepticism will remain in relation to the ability of criminal justice professionals to afford adequate levels of protection. There has been little research on the public’s attitudes to sex offenders in the United Kingdom. The research on which this article is based examines public attitudes towards the reintegration of sex offenders into the community. It is one of the largest surveys in the United Kingdom on what people think about the reintegration of sex offenders into the community postconviction. Tables, notes, and references