Deciding Where Sex Offenders Can Live

Residency restrictions create zones where sex offenders can and cannot live. Some laws are so restrictive that sex offenders become homeless, go underground or report false addresses — and thus become impossible to track.

Researchers have used Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to map communities to see whether sex offenders will be able to find housing, and where.  Officials have also used GIS to track registered sex offenders and determine if they are living in compliant sections of the community. Conducting a GIS analysis before a law is passed can show whether enforcing it will be feasible.

Read a short report (pdf, 2 pages) on how researchers mapped data from three states to locate registered offenders and identify restricted sites and their exclusion zones.

Highlights

Request for Information: NIJ is seeking input on the development of a Performance Standard for Weapon (Handgun) Retention Holsters. Comments are due by November 5, 2008. Read the full Request for Information (pdf, 1 page) for details.

NIJ Journal: Issue No. 261 released, cover story DNA Solves Property Crimes (But Are We Ready for That?) 

Publication: Improving Police Communications Across State and County Lines

Publication: Strategies to Prevent Prison Rape by Changing the Correctional Culture
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Topics: Sexual Assault on Campus
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Workshop: Forensic Workshop for Social Scientists, December 12, 2008

Training: Forensic Management Academy — Enrollment open for 2009
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