Skip to main content

Convicted Sex Offender Residential Movements

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Crime Modeling and Mapping Using Geospatial Technologies

Part of the book series: Geotechnologies and the Environment ((GEOTECH,volume 8))

Abstract

The social, economic, and cultural impacts of sex offender legislation are topics of considerable interest in recent years. Despite the number of studies evaluating the collateral consequences of these laws, the implications of spatial restrictions on housing availability and residential mobility for convicted sex offenders remain an empirical question. Because of the social implications, but also risks associated with recidivism, a better understanding of the spatio-temporal movements of sex offenders is critical for developing effective management policies and strategies aimed at promoting public safety. The purpose of this chapter is to analyze sex offender residential movement patterns over a 2.5 year period in Hamilton County, Ohio. Using geographic information systems and a developed exploratory system, SOSTAT, this study uncovers significant trends and behavioral patterns that shed light on offender reintegration, their residential mobility and the implications of residency restrictions on both offenders and community.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grants 0924001 and 0922737. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    This was subsequently replaced with federal designations after the passage of the Adam Walsh Act.

References

  • Adam Walsh Child Protection Act (2006) Public Law 109–248. 42 U.S.C § 16901–16962

    Google Scholar 

  • Anselin L, Bao S (1997) Exploratory spatial data analysis linking SpaceStat and ArcView. In: Fisher M, Getis A (eds) Recent developments in spatial analysis. Springer, Berlin, pp 35–59

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Barnes JC, Dukes T, Tewksbury R, DevTroye TM (2009) Analyzing the impact of a Statewide residence restriction law on South Carolina Sex offenders. Crim Justice Policy Rev 20:21–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beauregard E, Proulx J, Rossmo K (2005) Spatial patterns of sex offenders: theoretical, empirical, and practical issues. Aggress Viol Behav 10:579–603

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blair M (2004) Wisconsin’s sex offender registration and notification laws: has the Wisconsin Legislature left the criminals and the constitution behind? Marquette Law Rev 87:939–981

    Google Scholar 

  • Boehm TP, Ihlanfeld KR (1986) Residential mobility and neighborhood quality. J Reg Sci 26(2):411–424

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brantingham P, Brantingham P (1984) Patterns in crime. Macmillan, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Burchfield K (2011) Residence restrictions. Criminol Pub Policy 10(2):411–419

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burchfield KB, Mingus W (2008) Not in my neighborhood: assessing registered sex offenders’ experiences with local social capital and social control. Crim Justice Behav 35(3):356–374

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bureau of Justice Statistics (2003) Recidivism of sex offenders released from prison in 1994. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice

    Google Scholar 

  • Bursik RJ (1988) Social disorganization and theories of crime and delinquency: problems and prospects. Criminology 26(4):519–552

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chajewski M, Calkins-Mercado C (2009) An evaluation of sex offender residency restriction functioning in town, county, and city-wide jurisdictions. Crim Justice Policy Rev 20:44–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke R, Cornish D (1985) Modeling offender’s decisions: a framework for research and policy. Crim Justice 6:147–185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen LE, Felson M (1979) Social change and crime rate trends: a routine activity approach. Am Sociol Rev 44:588–608

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cooke DJ (1998) Psychopathy across cultures. In: Cornish DB, Clarke RV (eds) The reasoning criminal: rational choice perspectives on offending. Transaction, New Brunswick, pp 351–382

    Google Scholar 

  • Dieleman FM (2001) Modelling residential mobility: a review of recent trends in research. J Hous Built Environ 16(3–4):249–265

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duwe G, Donnay W, Tewksbury R (2008) Does residential proximity matter? A geographic analysis of sex offender recidivism. Crim Justice Behav 35:484–504

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Groff E (2007) Simulation for theory testing and experimentation: an example using routine activity theory and street robbery. J Quant Criminol 23(2):75–103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Groth AN, Longo RE, McFadin JB (1982) Undetected recidivism among rapists and child molesters. Crim Delinq 28:450–458

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grubesic TH (2010) Sex offender clusters. Appl Geogr 30:2–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grubesic TH, Murray AT (2004) Assessing the locational uncertainties of geocoded data. In: Proceedings from the 24th urban data management symposium, Chioggia, Italy

    Google Scholar 

  • Grubesic TH, Murray AT (2008) Sex offender residency and spatial equity. Appl Sp Anal Policy 1:175–192

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grubesic TH, Murray AT (2010) Methods to support policy evaluation of sex offender laws. Pap Reg Sci 89(3):669–684

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grubesic TH, Murray AT, Mack EA (2007) Geographic exclusion: spatial analysis for evaluating the implications of Megan’s Law. Soc Sci Comput Rev 25(2):143–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grubesic TH, Murray AT, Mack EA (2008) Sex offenders, housing and spatial restriction zones. GeoJournal 73:255–269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanson RK, Morton-Bourgon KE (2004) Predictors of sexual recidivism: an updated meta-analysis (User report 2004–02) (Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada, Ottawa, Canada)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanson RK, Morton-Bourgon KE (2005) The characteristics of persistent sexual offenders: a meta-analysis of recidivism studies. J Consult Clin Psychol 73:1154–1163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haynie DL, South SJ (2005) Residential mobility and adolescent violence. Soc Force 84(1):361–374

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hepburn JR, Griffin ML (2004) The effect of social bonds on successful adjustment to probation: an event history analysis. Crim Justice Rev 29:46–75

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hipp JR, Turner S, Jannetta J (2010) Are sex offenders moving into social disorganization? Analyzing the residential mobility of California Parolees. J Res Crime Delinq 47:558–590

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunter S (2003) Geographical Mobility among male psychopaths. Paper presented at the western society of criminology, Vancouver, British Columbia

    Google Scholar 

  • Hyle v. Porter (2008) Ohio Supreme Court ruling. URL: http://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/rod/docs/pdf/0/2008/2008-Ohio-542.pdf. Accessed 28 June 2010

  • Kan K (2006) Residential mobility and social capital. J Urban Econ 61(3):436–457

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krebs J, Davies N (1987) An introduction to behavioural ecology. Blackwell, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Levenson JS, Cotter LP (2005) The impact of sex offender residence restrictions: 1,000 feet from danger or one step from absurd? Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol 49:168–178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levenson JS, Hern AL (2007) Sex offender residence restrictions: unintended consequences and community reentry. Justice Res Policy 9:59–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lieb R (2000) Social policy and sexual offenders: contrasting United States’ and European policies. Eur J Crim Policy Res 8:423–440

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mack EA, Grubesic TH (2010) Sex offenders and residential location: a predictive analytical framework. Environ Plan A 42(8):1925–1942

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McHugh KE, Gober P, Reid N (1990) Determinants of short- and long-term mobility expectations for home owners and renters. Demography 27(1):81–95

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Megan’s Law (1996) Public Law 104–145 C.F.R. § 170101 (d) of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994

    Google Scholar 

  • Meredith T, Speir J, Johnson S (2007) Developing and implementing automated risk assessments in parole. J Res Policy 9:1–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Messner S, Anselin L, Baller R, Hawkins D, Deane G, Tolnay S (1999) The spatial patterning of county homicide rates: an application of exploratory spatial data analysis. J Quant Criminol 15:423–450

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Minnesota Department of Corrections (2003) Level three sex offenders residential placement issues: 2003 report to the legislature. Minnesota Department of Corrections, St. Paul

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray AT (2010) Quantitative geography. J Reg Sci 50:143–163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murray AT, Grubesic TH (2012) Spatial optimization and geographic uncertainty: implications for sex offender management strategies. In Johnson M (ed) Community-Based Operations Research: Decision Modeling for Local Impact and Diverse Populations, (Berlin: Springer). pp 121–142

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray AT, Grubesic TH, Wei R, Mack EA (2011) A hybrid geocoding methodology for spatio-temporal data. Transactions in GIS 15:795–809

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray AT, McGuffog I, Western JS, Mullins P (2001) Exploratory spatial data analysis techniques for examining urban crime. Br J Criminol 41:309–329

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mustaine EE, Tewksbury R, Stengel KM (2006) Residential location and mobility of registered sex offenders. Am J Crim Justice 30:177

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) (2011) Map of registered sex offenders in the United States. URL: http://www.missingkids.com/en_US/documents/sex-offender-map.pdf

  • Ohio Department of Education (ODE) (2005) ODE Interactive: extract Ohio educational information. URL: http://webapp2.ode.state.oh.us/data/extract_oed_addgrades.asp

  • Ouimet M, Proulx J (1994) Spatial and temporal behavior of pedophiles: their clinical usefulness as to the relapse prevention model. Paper presented at the meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Miami, Florida

    Google Scholar 

  • Petrunik M (2003) The hare and the tortoise: dangerousness and sex offender policy in the United States and Canada. Can J Criminol Crim Justice 45:43–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pope JC (2008) Fear of crime and housing prices: household reactions to sex offender registries. J Urban Econ 64:601–614

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Putnum R (2001) Bowling alone. Simon & Schuster, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Pyle GF (1974) The spatial dynamics of crime. Chicago, University of Chicago, Department of Geography Research Paper No. 159

    Google Scholar 

  • Quigley JM, Weinberg DH (1977) Intra-urban residential mobility: a review and synthesis. Int Reg Sci Rev 2(1):41–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ratcliffe JH (2001) On the accuracy of TIGER-type geocoded address data in relation to cadastral and census areal units. Int J Geogr Inf Sci 15(5):473–485

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reppetto TA (1974) Residential crime. Ballinger, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Rey SJ, Anselin L (2007) PySAL: a Python library of spatial analytical methods. Rev Reg Stud 37:5–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Rey SJ, Janikas MV (2006) STARS: Space-Time Analysis of Regional Systems. Geogr Anal 38:67–86

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rey SJ, Murray AT, Grubesic TH, Mack EA, Wei R, Griffin M (2012) The impact of spatial restrictions on sexual offender residential movement patterns: a Markov chain analysis. Draft manuscript

    Google Scholar 

  • Rhodes WM, Conly C (1981) Crime and mobility: an empirical study. In: Brantingham PJ, Brantingham PL (eds) Environmental criminology. Sage Publications, Beverly Hills

    Google Scholar 

  • Sampson RJ, Groves WB (1989) Community structure and crime: testing social- disorganization theory. Am J Sociol 94:774–780

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sampson RJ, Raudenbush SW, Earls F (1997) Neighborhoods and violent crime: a multilevel study of collective efficacy. Science 277:918–924

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schiavone SK, Jeglic EL (2009) Public perception of sex offender social policies and the impact on sex offenders. Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol 53:679

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaw CR, McKay HD (1942) Juvenile delinquency in urban areas. University of Chicago Press, Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  • Socia K (2011) The policy implications of residence restrictions on sex offender housing in Upstate NY. Criminol Pub Policy 10(2):351–389

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tewksbury R (2005) Collateral consequences of sex offender registration. J Contemp Crim Justice 21(1):67–81

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tewksbury R (2011) Policy implications of sex offender residence restrictions laws. Criminol Pub Policy 10(2):345–348

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tewksbury R, Lees M (2006) Perceptions of sex offender registration: collateral consequences and community experiences. Sociol Spectr 26:309–334

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tewksbury R, Mustaine E (2006) Where to find sex offenders: an examination of residential locations and neighborhood conditions. Crim Justice Stud 19(1):61–75

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turley E, Hutzel L (2001) West Virginia sex offender study. URL: http://www.dcjs.wv.gov/SAC/Documents/sexoffender%20report%2001.pdf

  • U.S. Census Bureau (2011) TIGER/Line Shapefiles. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/

  • White RC (1932) The relation of felonies to environmental factors in indianapolis. Soc Force 10:498–509

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Willis GM, Grace RC (2008) The quality of community reintegration planning for child molesters: effects on sexual recidivism. Sex Abuse J Res Treat 20:218–240

    Google Scholar 

  • WLWT (2009) Police: suspect in teen’s death possible serial killer. URL: http://www.wlwt.com/news/18879648/detail.html. Accessed 28 June 2010

  • Youstin TJ, Nobles MR (2009) Residency estrictions: a geospatial analysis of sex offender movement over time. Crime Mapp 1:55–76

    Google Scholar 

  • Zandbergen PA, Hart TC (2006) Reducing housing options for convicted sex offenders: investigating the impact of residency Restriction Laws using GIS. Justice Res Policy 8:1–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zgoba KM, Levenson J, McKee T (2009) Examining the impact of sex offender residence restrictions on housing availability. Crim Justice Policy Rev 20(1):91–110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zipf GK (1949) Human behaviour and the principle of least effort. Addison-Wesley Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alan T. Murray .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Murray, A.T. et al. (2013). Convicted Sex Offender Residential Movements. In: Leitner, M. (eds) Crime Modeling and Mapping Using Geospatial Technologies. Geotechnologies and the Environment, vol 8. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4997-9_3

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics