Introduction to Special Issue on Sex Offenses and Offenders: Toward Evidence-Based Public Policy

Abstract

Since the early 1990s, state and federal lawmakers have enacted a range of laws and policies intended to mitigate the societal risk presented by sex offenders. In recent years, sex offender legislation has ranked near the top of state legislative agendas, and the U.S. Congress has asserted a role in shaping the nation’s sex offender management practice at the state level. Although this legislative activity has been accompanied by research-generated knowledge that has improved professionals’ ability to assess risk and to provide effective treatment and supervision, research on the specific effects of the policies is scanty. Hence, significant gaps are found between prevailing public policies and effective practices. This article introduces a special issue of Criminal Justice and Behavior focused on critically evaluating the efficacy of contemporary sex offender management policies in terms of enhancing public safety. The article describes the studies contained in the issue and places these studies into a broader policy framework. It concludes with a call for expanding the role of evidence in the development of our nation’s sex offender laws.