| Sex offender laws and regulations were enacted with the goal of preventing and reducing sex crimes; however, some scholars have argued sex offender laws may actually contribute to an increase in recidivism as a result of a number of unintended consequences. While there have been numerous studies examining the unintended consequences associated with residency restrictions, no research to date has examined the location of sex offender clusters and how these clusters affect the community and sex crimes within their geographical vicinities. While some researchers have established that the clustering of registered sex offenders occurs in certain geographical areas, further analysis into how these clusters affect sex crimes and the community is paramount due to the possible risks or benefits clusters may pose on sex offenders. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was to explore how residency restrictions have impacted sex crimes pre and post implementation in a southern state. Moreover, this study sought to fill the gap in the current literature by locating and examining the effects of sex offender clusters on sex crimes within their geographical vicinities. This was achieved by analyzing 11 years of sex crime incidents and sex offender data through the utilization of ArcGIS. The results of this study illustrated the effectiveness of residency restrictions and provided researchers with the knowledge needed to further explore sex offender clusters in various geographical locations. Furthermore, this study provided information regarding the effects sex offender clusters may have on sex crimes, released sex offenders, and the community as a whole. |
