Researching the registered: challenges and suggestions for researchers studying sex offender populations

As interest in registered sex offenders proves to be a popular topic among community members, the media, and legislators alike, researchers must continue to examine the experiences of this offender group. Sex offender registration and community notification laws are diverse across states, creating a difficult and confusing environment for registered sex offenders post-conviction. Often, registered sex offenders report experiences with social stigmatization and physical isolation from their communities as a result of their labeled status. This leads them to be distrustful of outsiders; researchers included. This paper examines the experiences of researchers who have conducted three quantitative and qualitative research projects focused on registered sex offenders and life on the registry. In addition to highlighting the challenges in conducting this type of research, this paper provides a discussion of four specific challenges that may occur when gathering data from community sex offender samples, and several recommendations to overcome these challenges.     

A Perspective on Errors,Bias, and Interpretation in the Forensic Sciences and Direction for Continuing Advancement*

Abstract: The forensic sciences are under review more so than ever before. Such review is necessary and healthy and should be a continuous process. It identifies areas for improvement in quality practices and services. The issues surrounding error, i.e., measurement error, human error, contextual bias, and confirmatory bias, and interpretation are discussed. Infrastructure is already in place to support reliability. However, more definition and clarity of terms and interpretation would facilitate communication and understanding. Material improvement across the disciplines should be sought through national programs in education and training, focused on science, the scientific method, statistics, and ethics. To provide direction for advancing the forensic sciences a list of recommendations ranging from further documentation to new research and validation to education and to accreditation is provided for consideration. The list is a starting point for discussion that could foster further thought and input in developing an overarching strategic plan for enhancing the forensic sciences.     

Beyond law and order: Motives in the mobilization of the penal system

Résumé Cet article constitue une proposition théorique et méthodologique afin d'étudier les conditions menant à la mise en oeuvre du droit et, plus particulièrement, au déclenchement du processus pénal dans des situations concrètes. En utilisant de nombreux travaux empiriques et théoriques, les auteurs ont privilégié trois dimensions analytiques. Premièrement, les déterminants susceptibles d'affecter la mise en oeuvre du système pénal seront examinées. En deuxième lieu, une attention particulièrement sera accordée à l'identité des renvoyants. Enfin, les motifs à l'origine de la décision de renvoyer une affaire vers le système pénal seront discutés.      

A Life of Grief: an Exploration of Disenfranchised Grief in Sex Offender Significant Others

In criminal justice, researchers have identified disenfranchised grief, or the denial of empathy and social support during the grieving process, in family members who have lost relatives through imprisonment and execution. Although both of these situations involve the physical removal of the offender from the family members’ lives, non-physical losses may also prompt the grieving process. One of these non-physical losses is a psychosocial loss, in which the person the family members knew is now gone. Given the public stigma of the label “sex offender” and the collateral consequences that occur as a result of that label, it is possible that sex offender significant others experience a psychosocial loss. The current research is an exploratory study that used qualitative interviews with 29 spouses and significant others of convicted sex offenders to explore if and how disenfranchised grief impacts sex offender partners. Findings support both the existence of and the detrimental impact of disenfranchised grief on sex offender partners.     

Diversion effects,incentive effects,and the goals of research ethics promulgations

It was with great sadness that the philosophical and ethical communities noted the recent passing of Alan Wertheimer. It is not possible to engage in serious work regarding international research ethics (nor much of political philosophy more broadly) without encountering and wrestling with his careful contributions. He was welcoming of discussion and generous with his intellectual energies. Ongoing work in these areas will be so much the poorer for his absence.