Sex Offender Laws: Failed Policies, New Directions

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"[T]his fine book by Richard Wright and his distinguished collaborators provides the evidence that wise policy-makers would want to consider. It covers every major field of research concerning sex offenders and sexual offenses and provides evidence of bad practices and policies .Intellectually honest politicians should read this book."
--Michael Tonry, LL.B,
Professor of Law and Public Policy
University of Minnesota Law School (From the Foreword)

In response to many high-profile cases of sexual assault, federal and state governments have placed a number of unique criminal sanctions on sex offenders. These include residency restrictions, exclusionary zones, electronic monitoring, and chemical castration. However, the majority of sex offender policies are not based on empirical evidence, nor have they demonstrated any significant reductions in offender recidivism. In fact, some of these policies have unintended consequences, which actually increase the likelihood of sexual offenses.

In this book, Wright critically analyzes existing policies, and assesses the most effective approaches in preventing sex offender recidivism. This provocative and timely book draws from the fields of criminal justice, law, forensic psychology, and social work to examine how current laws and policies are enacted and what to-date is known about their efficacy. In response to the failed policies of sex offender laws, this book presents alternative models and approaches to sex offense laws and policies. Wright also explores critical, cutting-edge topics, such as internet sexual solicitation, the death penalty, and community responses to sex offense.

Key Features:

• An introduction and overview of the history of sex offender laws
• Analyzes the role of the media in sex offense and sex offender policies
• Examines the political "untouchability" of sex offender laws and their adverse effects
• Features interviews with victims of sexual assault, investigating their points of views on what kinds of reforms need to be made to sex offender laws

Thought-provoking and insightful, Sex Offender Laws serves as a vital resource for policy makers, researchers, and students of criminal justice, law, and social work.

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Customer Reviews

Review by B. V. Jones, 2009-12-28

I am an "ordinary person" looking for more information on the many, many laws being passed against former sex offenders. Do they work at all? What are the reasons politicians and other have been jumping on this "save our children" bandwagon when, from all I can see, these laws aren't really protecting anyone?

This book is GREAT for the purpose! A peer-reviewed book, containing peer-reviewed scholarly articles, which each present a different aspect of the current situation, using data from many, many studies. Safe, reliable data, not just opinions. And it is quite readable by anyone with a decent high school education! I will soon be quoting it widely, in whatever ways I can, as I fight the Adam Walsh Act, SORNA, and other misguided legislation.

Also, the average person may think this book expensive (it's no paperback novel!) but compared to other books of its type which can easily cost twice as much, I can honestly say it is worth every penny.