Strange Bedfellows: Is Sex Offender Notification a Form of Community Justice?

Abstract

Nationwide legislation requires that the names of convicted sex offenders living in communities be made public. The social movement that drives sex offender notification uses the rhetoric of community justice. The authors consider whether notification is truly a community justice initiative. The logic of notification is compared with that of restorative community justice. Implicit and explicit understandings of community, victims, offenders, and social control are examined. The article concludes that the principles of notification are largely inconsistent with those of community justice. The success of the notification movement highlights the urgent need for effective interventions that address sexual violence.