Understanding the Impact of Sex Offender Registration: An Examination of Changes in Offense Type and the Predictors of Recidivism among Registered Sex Offenders

• DOI: 10.3818/JRP.11.2009.1
• Date: 01 December 2009
• Published date: 01 December 2009
• Subject Matter: Article



*



UnderstandingtheimpactofsexOffender 

 Registration:

Anexaminationofchangesin 

 offensetypeandthepredictorsofrecidivism

 amongregisteredsexoffenders

Todd Armstrong

Sam Houston State University

Charles M. Katz

Arizona State University

Vincent Webb

Sam Houston State University

* Abstract

This study uses a random sample (N = 244) of registered sex offenders taken in a

large southwestern city. Within a post-registration period that averaged approximately

5.5 years,

46.72% of the sample was rearrested for any crime. During the same post-

registration period, 20.08% of the sample had an arrest charge for a sex offense. The

relative frequency of charges for sexual assault and child sex crimes was lower at post-

registration, while the relative frequency of charges for other sex crimes was slightly

higher. Prior arrest and sex offender levels were the most consistent predictors of post-

registration recidivism.

JUSTICE RESEARCH AND POLICY, Vol. 11, 2009

© 2009 Justice Research and Statistics Association



Sex offenses and criminal justice system policies targeted at sex offenders are of in-

creasing public concern. Assessments of the prevalence of sex offenses have found

that approximately 1% to 2% of the adult male population will be convicted of

a sexual offense (Marshall, 1997). Studies assessing sex offender recidivism have

found that 10% to 15% of sexual offenders recidivate within 5 years (Hanson &

Morton-Bourgon, 2004). This offending occurs against a backdrop in which crimi-

nal justice system policy is rapidly evolving.

The Jacob Wetterling Act, passed by Congress in 1994, required states to create

registries of sexually violent offenders. A 1996 amendment of the Act man

dated

the release of registration information to the public. In a number of states, this

federal legislation was predated by state laws requiring registration and provid-

ing for community notif‌ication (Matson & Lieb, 1996). More recently, in July

2006, the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act was signed into law. This

act required jurisdictions to make registries available to the public on the Internet

and established a national sex offender registry and a national sex offender Web

site (”Adam Walsh Act,” 2006). Additionally, the Adam Walsh Child Protection

and Safety Act created a national sex offender classif‌ication system and expanded

registration and notif‌ication requirements.

* Literature Review

Unfortunately, there is scant literature with which to evaluate the wisdom of laws

requiring sex offender registration and community notif‌ication. A recent review

of the literature found only 12 empirical investigations of the impact of commu-

nity notif‌ication registries (Welchans, 2005). Of these studies, only two explored

the potential impact of sex offender registries on the behavior of sex offenders

(Petrosino & Petrosino, 1999; Schram & Milloy, 1995). While this literature has

continued to develop (see, for example, Duwe & Donnay, 2008; Letourneau, Ban-

dyopadhyay, Sinha, & Armstrong, 2009; Zevitz, 2006), there is a clear need for

additional research with which to inform criminal justice system policy. Literature

on the impact of sex offender registration and community notif‌ication has largely

relied on samples from the Midwest (Adkins, Huff, & Stageberg, 2000; Duwe &

Donnay, 2008, Zevitz, 2006) and Washington state (Barnoski, 2005, Schramm &

Milloy, 1995). Here we extend the literature by offering an initial assessment of

the impact of sex offender registration data from a random sample (N = 244) of

registered sex offenders. The sample was taken from the pool of all Level 2 and

Level 3 registered sex offenders in Phoenix, Arizona (N = 939). We also test the

predictors of recidivism among this random sample of registered sex offenders.

Recidivism of Sex Offenders

A substantial literature addresses the rate at which sex offenders recidivate.

(For recent reviews, see Bynum, Carter, Matson, & Onley, 2001; Cottle, Lee, &