Breanne Pleggenkuhle

The Effect and Implications of Sex Offender Residence Restrictions

Research Summary We evaluated the efficacy of sex offender residence restrictions in Michigan and Missouri using a quasi-experimental design with propensity score matching. First, we examined the implementation of the laws and found that sex offenders in both states were less likely to live in restricted areas after the implementation of the laws than the prerestriction sample, but the differences were not statistically significant. In our outcome analysis, we find little evidence that residence restrictions changed the prevalence of recidivism substantially for sex offenders in the postrelease period. In Michigan, trends indicate that the implementation of the laws led to a slight increase in recidivism among the sex offender groups, whereas in Missouri, this effect resulted in a slight decrease in recidivism. Technical violations also declined for both groups in Missouri. The small effect sizes, inconsistent results across states, and the null results between sex offender and non–sex offender models cast doubt on the potential usefulness of the laws to influence individual patterns of recidivism broadly. Policy Implications The results caution against the widespread, homogenous implementation of residence restrictions. Instead, we advocate individualization in sex offender programming and call for the development of risk-centered models of residence restrictions that draw on the established literature. In addition, the research highlights the practical challenges in defining restricted areas, enforcing restrictions, and promoting successful returns to the community. Furthermore, a call for reframing the focus of sex offender reentry to include collaborative treatment groups and enhanced communication and services between key stakeholders is made. Finally, we close with a discussion of several best practice models that provide alternative housing sources for individuals sentenced under residence restrictions without a suitable home plan.

Residential Location, Household Composition, and Recidivism: An Analysis by Gender

Although the challenges offenders face when returning home from prison have been well documented, much remains to be learned about the gendered patterns of reentry. This line of inquiry can be further refined by examining the unique effects of residential movement, housing location, and household composition on reentry trajectories. To address these questions, we use a sample of men and women released from prison in Missouri. Consistent with past research, men are more likely to fail overall, but women are more likely to be recommitted to prison for a technical violation. We find that community context had the largest effect in models of technical violations for the male sample. Similar community effects were not observed for the female sample. Family support was a strong protective factor for men and women. We discuss the policy implications of the study for prisoner reentry in general and the import for a gendered understanding of recidivism.

Solid Start: supportive housing, social support, and reentry transitions

Researchers have consistently established the centrality of the reentry experience in understanding offender life course trajectories, and housing has been cited as one of the most central bricks in establishing stable, successful lives. However, the social and structural mechanisms that explain the relationship between housing and parolee outcomes are less known. To explore this, we use in-depth interviews and a grounded theory approach to compare the reentry needs among a sample of male parolees participating in a housing program, Solid Start, with a similar sample of males on traditional parole. The results highlight the centrality of housing and social support during the reentry process, and find that housing services have important implications for structural changes, such as social relationships, and subjective, emotional outcomes. This research adds to the burgeoning literature on reentry transitions by providing narrative accounts of parolee experiences and has important implications for housing assistance programs.

A New Way of Doing Time on the Outside: Sex Offenders’ Pathways In and Out of a Transitional Housing Facility

Although housing has been highlighted as a key element of successful reentry experiences, little research has considered the perspectives of sex offenders living in transitional housing upon release from prison. This topic is important given the increasing legal restrictions faced by this offender population. The current study utilizes qualitative data to explore the pathways from prison to transitional housing, the experience of residing in these facilities, and how transitional housing is perceived to affect the overall reentry experience. In general, results suggest that sex offenders reside in the facility because of lack of access to a suitable home, and report a need for service provisions. However, most view their experiences in the transitional facility (TF) as contrary to the rehabilitative ideal, and some indicate that this type of programming has collateral consequences for reentry. The proliferation of sex offender restriction laws has only exacerbated the challenges faced by sex offenders living in the TF.

Opting Out: The Role of Identity, Capital, and Agency in Prison Visitation

An emerging body of research suggests that prison visitation has implications for better understanding inmate institutional and post-release behavior, but not all inmates receive visits. The goal of the current study is to document barriers to visitation from the inmate perspective and describe the perspectives of those who receive very few or no visits. We also describe how inmate perceptions of visits impacts the way one does time and negotiates subsequent visitation. Using data from qualitative interviews, we find evidence that inmates make willful decisions when negotiating prison visits that are guided by one’s sense of self and further colored by the perceived social and economic strain on families. Our results challenge the perception of a universally positive visitation experience, and introduce the role of inmate choice in selecting into and out of prison visits.

Fear of crime among residents of rural counties: an analysis by gender

Abstract Research often overlooks rural populations in explaining criminal justice phenomena, despite variant social and economic patterns. The current study considers fear of crime among rural residents, particularly as it relates with social experiences, prior victimization, and respondent characteristics. In particular, gender is considered not only as a covariate but the unique patterns of fear of crime in comparing male and female models. Using survey data from a nationally representative sample, the results demonstrate some parallels but also some departure from prior fear of crime research. The results indicate social perceptions differ in rural spaces, highlighting the importance of broader social experiences in explaining fear of crime. The findings demonstrate predictive mechanisms operate differently for males and females. Overall, these findings enhance the understanding of fear of crime in different settings and by gender.