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The Unintended Consequences of Megan's Law for Citizens, Law Enforcement, and Offenders: An Empirical Analysis

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2010, PHD, Kent State University, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Political Science.
The later part of the 20th Century observed a considerable resurgence in sex or deviant offender statutes; now reclassified as community notification laws. The new policies, unlike previous legislation, offer community-wide notification, increased monitoring and full disclosure of offender’s personal information to the public. This study found that receiving more thorough information about specific sex offenders appears to raise, rather than allay, concerns about sex offenders. Law enforcement agencies with written policies on the law benefited with increased information sharing among other criminal justice agencies, but urban departments reported a strain on departmental resources and increased workloads. Older, single, African-American and offenders that did not graduate high school or obtain a GED or dropped out before the 9th grade were more likely to be incarcerated for longer a period of time for violating the failure to verify address portion of the law. Megan’s law is designed to address more fully the social problem of sex offenders. However, given its more punitive sentiments, the law creates unintended consequences for citizens, law enforcement and offenders. The law heightens fear and concern among citizens about sex offenders. In the process, the supposed deterrent effect of the law is unfulfilled. The law places burdens and underfunded mandates on law enforcement and does nothing to promote effective sex offender treatment to reduce recidivism or aid in offender compliance.
David Kessler, A (Committee Co-Chair)
Mark Colvin, W (Committee Co-Chair)
Renee Johnson (Committee Member)
Vera Camden (Committee Member)
Kristin Mickelson, D (Other)
270 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Wilson, M. G. (2010). The Unintended Consequences of Megan's Law for Citizens, Law Enforcement, and Offenders: An Empirical Analysis [Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1278943499

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Wilson, Mary. The Unintended Consequences of Megan's Law for Citizens, Law Enforcement, and Offenders: An Empirical Analysis. 2010. Kent State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1278943499.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Wilson, Mary. "The Unintended Consequences of Megan's Law for Citizens, Law Enforcement, and Offenders: An Empirical Analysis." Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1278943499

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)