Sex Offender Residency Restrictions: Implementation and Impact

Numerous states and hundreds of municipalities have laws restricting the location of a convicted sex offender's residence.  Little is known about the effectiveness of these restrictions. Do they keep children safer or give a false sense of safety?

Some people suggest these laws are driven by media attention to a few cases. Others believe they are not grounded in research. What do we know about the effectiveness and impact of these laws?  What are the practical aspects of implementing such laws?

This forum examined facts of residency restrictions, research about the types of offenders, lack of research about effectiveness, the use of crime mapping and the practical considerations required when implementing these restrictions.