Drawing on 30 non-overlapping samples, the study found that individuals whose offenses are limited to Child Sexual Exploitation Material (CSEM) have very low rates of sexual recidivism, particularly when it comes to committing contact offenses. In other words, the assumption that all people on the registry pose the same level of risk simply isn’t supported by the data. Instead, the research shows wide variability in risk, underscoring the need for a more tailored, evidence-based approach.

That’s where the Risk-Need-Responsivity model comes in. Long recognized in the field of corrections, this framework emphasizes that interventions should match an individual’s risk level. High-risk individuals may warrant intensive supervision and restrictions, but applying those same measures to low-risk individuals is not only unnecessary, it can actually be counterproductive and increase the likelihood of reoffending.

The implications are hard to ignore. Law enforcement resources are finite, yet current practices often direct significant time and effort toward lower-risk individuals. Meanwhile, validated risk assessment tools such as STABLE-2007 and CPORT exist precisely to distinguish who is more likely to reoffend and who is not, but they remain unused in shaping registration policy.

What this meta-analysis ultimately makes clear is that a blanket approach, like Florida’s, doesn’t just fail to improve safety, it actively undermines it. A smarter strategy would prioritize resources, supervision, and restrictions to the focused cases where they are actually needed.

A meta-analysis of recidivism rates among individuals who commit child sexual exploitation material (003)

The post Study: Meta Analysis Shows LOW Recidivism Among Child Pornography Offenders appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

The purpose of this study is to better understand how being on the registry impacts daily life. Participation involves taking part in a confidential interview that will last approximately 60 minutes. Participation is completely voluntary, and participants can withdraw at any time. Participants will be compensated $50 for their participation. No identifying information will be included in the final report. The information you provide will be kept strictly confidential and will not impact your legal status, parole or probation requirements, or access to services.

Individuals who have been on the Florida Sexual Offender Registry for at least six months and are at least 19 years old are eligible to participate. This study has been reviewed and approved by the Fielding Graduate University Institutional Review Board (IRB).

If you or someone you know is interested in participating or would like more information, please contact Caroline Cortright at carolinecook@fielding.edu

Thank you for considering this opportunity to share your experiences and contribute to research that aims to increase understanding and awareness of the challenges faced by individuals on the registry.

Thank you to ACSOL for posting this announcement.

The post Participate in a Study on Your Experience on Florida’s Registry appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

It’s a worthwhile read.

Factors Impacting upon Attitudes towards Sex Offenders

The post Useful Study: Factors Impacting upon Attitudes Toward Sex Offenders (2017) appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

The Cicero Institute, a nonpartisan policy group, released findings in April showing that in at least 32 states, more than 10 percent of the unsheltered homeless population consists of registered sex offenders. In eight states, sex offenders make up more than half of that population.

In California, sex offender residence restrictions, coupled with policies that bar many from shelters, have pushed a subset of formerly incarcerated individuals into street homelessness. Shelters often exclude registrants from programs, especially those near schools, parks or senior facilities.

According to past surveys, 71 percent of homeless shelters in multiple states bar entry to registered sex offenders outright, regardless of their offense or risk level.

The Cicero Institute recommends developing specialized housing models for homeless sex offenders, expanding secure transitional options under close supervision, and enhancing tracking systems to prevent violations.

The report also calls on federal agencies like HUD to begin tracking sex offender status as part of their annual homeless assessment reports — a step that advocates say is essential for public safety planning.

SOURCE

The post Study Finds Alarming Rise in Homeless Sex Offenders appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

The conclusions were that residency restrictions have been ineffective. In fact, recidivism and the number of sexual crimes increased following their implementation.

Copy of usfsornreport

The post USF Reports Residency Restrictions Ineffective appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

The report states: “The modern sex offense registry was borne out of the belief that a public registry listing people who had been convicted of a sex offense would make communities safer. That premise was wrong. We now have thirty years of data concluding that public registries do not work as intended—in fact, there is evidence that public registries actually increase registrant recidivism. Furthermore, there is no definitive evidence that these laws deter non-registrants from sexually offending. At the same time, sex offense registration and notification (SORN) laws contribute to the stigmatization of registrants, which make securing employment and housing more challenging, and disrupt or preclude the maintenance of strong social ties. Registrants’ families also experience significant hardships. SORN laws should be abandoned, and resources should instead be invested in evidence-based interventions to address sexual violence that are currently starved for resources.”

The report concludes: “Experts on sexual violence policy recognize that SORN laws do not reduce sexual offense recidivism. The gratuitous burdens that SORN laws impose on registrants and their families harm both them and the communities in which they live. Those communities would benefit from shifting the resources currently devoted to administering SORN laws to funding interventions to reduce the incidence of sexual violence that are effective, including primary prevention85, support services for victims/survivors, and reentry and treatment programs to facilitate the reintegration to civil society of people who have sexually offended.”

This is a MUST READ document that FAC intends to use in wide-spread distribution to lawmakers, media and public sectors. Do your part and share this report with your friends, neighbors, and community organizations.

Download the document.

SOURCE

The post Ineffective, Costly, and Harmful: DEBUNKING THE SEX OFFENSE REGISTRY appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).