Legislation Targeting Sex Offenders: Are Recent Policies Effective in Reducing Rape?

Alissa R. Ackerman, Meghan Sacks, David Greenberg

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

    Abstract

    In recent years, several pieces of state and federal legislation have imposed new restrictions on convicted sex offenders, including registration with law enforcement agencies, community notification provisions, and sexually violent predator designations permitting civil commitment following a prison sentence. This paper uses panel data for the American states for the years 1970-2002 to assess the impact of these policies on the rate at which rapes occur. Our research finds no evidence that our current policies reduce the incidence of rape.

    Original languageEnglish (US)
    Pages (from-to)858-887
    Number of pages30
    JournalJustice Quarterly
    Volume29
    Issue number6
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Dec 2012

    Fingerprint

    Rape
    rape
    Legislation
    offender
    legislation
    Law Enforcement
    Prisons
    imprisonment
    law enforcement
    incidence
    commitment
    Incidence
    Research
    community
    evidence

    Keywords

    • community notification
    • imprisonment
    • rape
    • registration
    • sexually violent predator

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Law
    • Pathology and Forensic Medicine

    Cite this

    Legislation Targeting Sex Offenders : Are Recent Policies Effective in Reducing Rape? / Ackerman, Alissa R.; Sacks, Meghan; Greenberg, David.

    In: Justice Quarterly, Vol. 29, No. 6, 12.2012, p. 858-887.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

    Ackerman, AR, Sacks, M & Greenberg, D 2012, 'Legislation Targeting Sex Offenders: Are Recent Policies Effective in Reducing Rape?', Justice Quarterly, vol. 29, no. 6, pp. 858-887. https://doi.org/10.1080/07418825.2011.566887
    Ackerman AR, Sacks M, Greenberg D. Legislation Targeting Sex Offenders: Are Recent Policies Effective in Reducing Rape? Justice Quarterly. 2012 Dec;29(6):858-887. https://doi.org/10.1080/07418825.2011.566887
    Ackerman, Alissa R. ; Sacks, Meghan ; Greenberg, David. / Legislation Targeting Sex Offenders : Are Recent Policies Effective in Reducing Rape?. In: Justice Quarterly. 2012 ; Vol. 29, No. 6. pp. 858-887.
    @article{5addab534fa14b7cb363aaee38f8c850,
    title = "Legislation Targeting Sex Offenders: Are Recent Policies Effective in Reducing Rape?",
    abstract = "In recent years, several pieces of state and federal legislation have imposed new restrictions on convicted sex offenders, including registration with law enforcement agencies, community notification provisions, and sexually violent predator designations permitting civil commitment following a prison sentence. This paper uses panel data for the American states for the years 1970-2002 to assess the impact of these policies on the rate at which rapes occur. Our research finds no evidence that our current policies reduce the incidence of rape.",
    keywords = "community notification, imprisonment, rape, registration, sexually violent predator",
    author = "Ackerman, {Alissa R.} and Meghan Sacks and David Greenberg",
    year = "2012",
    month = "12",
    doi = "10.1080/07418825.2011.566887",
    language = "English (US)",
    volume = "29",
    pages = "858--887",
    journal = "Justice Quarterly",
    issn = "0741-8825",
    publisher = "Taylor and Francis Ltd.",
    number = "6",

    }

    TY - JOUR

    T1 - Legislation Targeting Sex Offenders

    T2 - Are Recent Policies Effective in Reducing Rape?

    AU - Ackerman, Alissa R.

    AU - Sacks, Meghan

    AU - Greenberg, David

    PY - 2012/12

    Y1 - 2012/12

    N2 - In recent years, several pieces of state and federal legislation have imposed new restrictions on convicted sex offenders, including registration with law enforcement agencies, community notification provisions, and sexually violent predator designations permitting civil commitment following a prison sentence. This paper uses panel data for the American states for the years 1970-2002 to assess the impact of these policies on the rate at which rapes occur. Our research finds no evidence that our current policies reduce the incidence of rape.

    AB - In recent years, several pieces of state and federal legislation have imposed new restrictions on convicted sex offenders, including registration with law enforcement agencies, community notification provisions, and sexually violent predator designations permitting civil commitment following a prison sentence. This paper uses panel data for the American states for the years 1970-2002 to assess the impact of these policies on the rate at which rapes occur. Our research finds no evidence that our current policies reduce the incidence of rape.

    KW - community notification

    KW - imprisonment

    KW - rape

    KW - registration

    KW - sexually violent predator

    UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84868237247&partnerID=8YFLogxK

    UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84868237247&partnerID=8YFLogxK

    U2 - 10.1080/07418825.2011.566887

    DO - 10.1080/07418825.2011.566887

    M3 - Article

    AN - SCOPUS:84868237247

    VL - 29

    SP - 858

    EP - 887

    JO - Justice Quarterly

    JF - Justice Quarterly

    SN - 0741-8825

    IS - 6

    ER -

    Access to Document