Shirley 1 Jack Shirley Professor Hammond English 102 1 April 2011 Research Proposal - Juvenile Sex Offender Registration

Purpose Are juvenile sex offenders violent criminals? Can they be successfully treated or are they all prone to repeat their crimes? Over the past few decades, public focus on sex offenders has grown as crimes have been publicized and dramatized in newspapers and on television. Many people have formed the opinion that sex offenders are some of the vilest of all criminals and have developed a fear of sex offenders in their communities. Miner shows that as a result of public fear, Congress has passed legislation that creates public sex offender registries to protect communities from sex offenders living in their area (565). Until recently these registries have only included adult sex offenders; however, with the signing the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act in 2006 each state is now required to add juvenile sex offenders to their sex offender registries (Justice Policy Institute 9). Though sex offender registries have public support, there is a growing body of research that argues against placing juvenile sex offenders on public registries. Recent research shows that juvenile sex offenders may not need to be placed on sex offender registries for a variety of reasons. One study by Zimring, Piquero, and Jennings shows that juvenile sex offender recidivism rates are, contrary to popular opinion, considerably low at around 10%. They report that registration of all juvenile sex offenders will inappropriately label 90% of this population as likely sex offenders because only 10% of them will ever recidivate (530). It doesnt make sense to label every juvenile sex offender on public registries when only a

Shirley 2 few of them will recommit similar crimes. In fact, labeling all juvenile sex offenders on registries could have serious negative impacts on this population. DiCataldo describes how the labeling and stigmatizing of juveniles through registration inhibits their rehabilitation. DiCataldo states, The exposure of juvenile sex offenders to disfiguring forms of legal intervention and treatment may facilitate the stabilization of a deviant identity . . . effectively narrowing their life chances and expectations for themselves (230). When juveniles are labeled on sex offender registries, they may be less likely to succeed in the community and more likely to continue in delinquency. Given the detrimental effects of registration on juvenile sex offenders, we shouldnt use sex offender registries to label juveniles unless it will increase community safety. One intended result of juvenile registration is to protect the community by deterring juveniles from committing sex crimes. A team of researchers, at the Medical University of South Carolina, reports that current registration policies do not deter would-be juvenile sex offenders from committing sex crimes as intended (Letourneau, Bandyopadhyay, Sinha, & Armstrong 566). Along with possibly not increasing community safety by reducing the amount of juvenile sex crimes, other research shows that juvenile sex offender registration could actually reduce community safety. The Justice Policy Institute discusses how juvenile registration laws will give the community a false sense of security. They report that the majority of sex offenders are usually family members and acquaintances. Instead of educating the public about these risks, current laws focus public attention on juvenile offenders that are not likely to recommit sex offenses. Many families might develop a false sense of security because they view the registry and then think by avoiding the individuals on the registry they will be safe. In reality, this could leave them more vulnerable to would-be sex offenders who are not on the registry (1-48). This research shows that registration

Shirley 3 of juvenile sex offenders may not increase community safety and could have detrimental effects on the community. These findings have led many to question whether requiring juveniles to register is appropriate and to call for reforms in registration laws. With my research, I intend to explore one primary question: Should juvenile sex offenders be required by law to register on public sex offender registries? I will analyze all potential effects of registration and show that, despite public approval for it, evidence suggests that juvenile sex offender registration is ineffective and detrimental to offenders and the community. In accordance with this evidence, I will argue that juvenile sex offenders should not be required by law to register on public registries. Significance It is important that laws and legislation achieve the results they intend to achieve. If a law is ineffective or detrimental, it should be revised or repealed in order to ensure that people are not unnecessarily harmed by the law. Juvenile sex offender registration policies need to be reevaluated based on the growing body of evidence against placing juveniles on sex registries and revised in order to protect the community and individuals. The new knowledge from this research will allow readers to see the argument about juvenile sex offender registration laws from a new perspective and form an accurate, evidence supported opinion about juvenile sex offender registration. The evidence presented will also make readers challenge many of the biases they might hold towards this misunderstood population. With this knowledge, readers will want to advocate for more effective legislation and treatment for juvenile sex offenders. They will feel prompted to help others become aware of the issue with the current legislation and to understand both sides of the registration debate.

Shirley 4 Juvenile corrections and the study of juvenile delinquency is one of the many branches of the social work field. My research will add to the competency and knowledge base of social workers working in juvenile corrections. By educating social workers on the recent research into juvenile sex offender registration, they will be better advocates for reform that could benefit their juvenile sex offender clients. I hope that I will be able to be a more effective social worker as a result of my increased understanding of the effects of juvenile sex offender registration laws. I will learn the value of doing research to increase my understanding in my field and to effectively advocate for my clients. Background I am interested in this topic because it relates directly to my current internship at the Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections and to my social work major. My internship involves treatment of a specific group of 10 juvenile sex offenders and has required me to learn more about juvenile sex offenders, challenge former biases and beliefs, and become an advocate for my clients. As social work majors we are taught to advocate for policy reform that can benefit society and the population we are working with. Sex offender registries are a current issue that is effecting the treatment and rehabilitation of my clients and one that needs further research and clarification for the general public. I have taken classes on juvenile delinquency and welfare policy that have helped me gain knowledge of this topic along with my personal experiences as an intern. Methods My research for this paper will consist mainly of library research of recent scholarly journal articles and publications that detail findings related to juvenile sex offenders and recent sex offender registry legislation. I will rely mainly on scholarly journal articles from the database Academic Search Premier for information because they are the most recent and often conducted

Shirley 5 by the top researchers and professionals in the field of social work. There have been many recent studies documented in scholarly articles that seek to measure the implications of juvenile sex offender registration and these will help support my argument. I will also use recent books on juvenile sex offenders to cite developments in treatment and rehabilitation of juveniles. I plan on conducting an interview with Jon Burnham, an L.C.S.W. and clinician for sex offenders at the Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections, to find out professionals views on the future implications of registration policies. He is a credible source because he has been trained to treat juvenile sex offenders and has seen the effects of policy changes in the field over the past twenty years. Problems Specific problems that could arise in my research are not having access to a particular article and being unable to conduct an interview with Mr. Burnham. If I do not have access to an article that would support my argument and guide my research, I will request the article through the librarys interlibrary loan program. I may run into difficulties with scheduling conflicts or time constraints in conducting my interview. If the interview I have planned cant be conducted, I know several other professionals that work specifically with this population that I could arrange interviews with; however, I have weekly contact with Mr. Burnham and do not see this as a very likely problem with my research. Outline Overarching Question: Should juvenile sex offenders be required by law to register on public sex offender registries? I. Background Questions: a. What assumptions brought about juvenile sex offender registration? b. What trends in public thinking brought about reforms in juvenile sex offender treatment? c. How has legislation changed over the past decade? d. What are the current laws regarding juvenile sex offender registration?

Shirley 6 II. Lines of Argument: a. What effect will registration have on juvenile sex offenders? i. How will it influence prosecution and treatment? ii. What effects will it have on their recidivism rates? iii. Will labeling juveniles on public registries have significant negative impact on community reintegration and identity development of convicted juvenile sex offenders? b. What effect will juvenile sex offender registries have on the community? i. Will juvenile sex offender registration decrease threats to public safety? ii. Do juvenile sex offender registries benefit society? iii. What conflicts might the registering of juvenile sex offenders on a public system create in the community? Opposing Views: a. Why is there such overwhelming public support for juvenile sex offender registration laws? b. How are juvenile sex offender registration laws helping alleviate public concern over sex offenders? i. How could the current juvenile sex offender registration laws be improved? ii. Does recent research suggest alternatives to registration that would better address public concern? Conclusion: a. What will happen if registration laws regarding juvenile sex offenders are not reformed? b. What are the future implications for juvenile sex offender treatment and juvenile justice policies? c. Will public awareness of recent research change public views and allow for changes in juvenile sex offender registration laws that will benefit society? Timeline SCHEDULED TASK PLANNING AND RESEARCHING Determine possible topics, issue questions, controversies, and arguments in your major area Freewrite, brainstorm, list, outline, map etc. (do this when necessary throughout the project) Read background information on topic as you work on Basic Research Strategies Narrow and redirect issue question as necessary Gather books & periodical articles Find useful, credible web sites Order additional materials via interlibrary loan Read, annotate, and evaluate all materials carefully Select annotated passages from sources that answer your questions DRAFTING DATE Always Always 2/9/11 2/12/11 2/12/11 2/12/11 2/17/11 2/17/11 2/17/11

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Shirley 7 Write proposal Write outline Plan the timeline for the project Compile rough bibliography Workshop proposal, outline, & schedule Determine answers to research questions and quotes to incorporate Submit final proposal Evaluate your underlying assumptions Identify and define key terms in order to avoid ambiguitydictionary style, example, description Decide on brief quotes to include (generally no more than 1 or 2 per paragraph and avoid block quotes) Determine portions to paraphrase/summarize (this will make up most of your research) Update reference entries Draft introduction Draft Section 1 Draft Section 2 Draft rest of body Draft conclusion REVISING, & PROOFREADING Compile individual sections into single paper Revise for content (completeness/logic) Revise for style (conciseness/diction) Revise technically (grammar/spelling/punctuation) Check parenthetical references and compare to reference page Polish references and APA format Print near final draft w/ title page, table of contents, and headings Proofread carefully Get two peer reviews of entire paper Additional revising/editing, reviews Submit for grading (Hooray! You did it!) 2/17/11 2/17/11 2/14/11 2/18/11 2/23/11 2/25/11 2/28/11 3/1/11 3/2/11 3/2/11 3/3/11 3/3/11 3/4/11 3/11/11 3/11/11 3/18/11 3/25/11 3/26/11 3/27/11 3/28/11 3/29/11 3/30/11 3/30/11 4/1/11 4/1/11 4/2/11 4/3/11 4/7/11

Annotated Bibliography (note that this is in APA style and yours will be MLA) Craun, S. W., & Kernsmith, P. D. (2006). Juvenile offenders and sex offender registries: Examining the data behind the debate. Federal Probation, 70(3), 45-49. The article is peer-reviewed and both authors have Ph.D.s in Social Work and teach at recognized universities. Their study shows that further empirical policy analysis is needed to help build or restructure sex offender registration policy that can deter future

Shirley 8 sexual assaults and work for the benefit of the public, sex offenders, and victims. I will use this for suggestions for policy reform. Calley, N. G. (2008). Juvenile sex offenders and sex offender legislation: Unintended consequences. Federal Probation, 72(3), 37-41. The article is peer-reviewed and the author is a Ph.D., LPC, and Chair of the Department of Counseling and Addiction Studies at the University of Detroit Mercy. Her study details how prosecutors often convict juveniles of reduced charges to avoid making them register. With reduced charges, many juveniles dont qualify for sex offender treatment and dont get the treatment they need. DiCataldo, F. C. (2009). The perversion of youth: Controversies in the assessment and treatment of juvenile sex offenders. New York, NY: New York University Press. Frank DiCataldo is a Ph.D. and assistant professor of psychology at Roger Williams University. His areas of focus include juvenile justice and adolescent sexuality. He discusses how juveniles are being labeled and stigmatized by recent legislation and myths that they are dangerous. Frierson, R. L., Dwyer, G., Bell, C. C., & Williamson, J. L. (2007). The mandatory registration of juvenile sex offenders and commitment of juveniles as sexually violent predators. Adolescent Psychiatry, 30, 55-61. The authors of this article are M.D.s and professors at the Medical University of South Carolina. They describe how mandatory registration could result in registration and treatment of individuals who are not a threat to the community. This could result in a waste of community resources. Garfinkle, E. (2003). Coming of age in America: The misapplication of sex-offender registry and community-notification laws to juveniles. California Law Review, 9(1), 163-208.

Shirley 9 The author practices law in California and got a J.D. at the School of Law, University of California, Berkeley. This article argues that applying community-notification requirements to juvenile sex offenders is an ineffective tool for preventing future offenses. On the contrary, it creates many new harms for vulnerable juvenile sex offenders and could lead to future criminality. Justice Policy Institute. (2008). Registering harm: How sex offense registries fail youth and communities. From http://www.justicepolicy.org Justice Policy Institute is a non-profit organization that promotes research into alternatives to incarceration. They provide a detailed report that shows the cost to the community both financially and in terms of safety if Adam Walsh juvenile registration laws are implemented. I can use this report to list many of the effects on the community. Kernsmith, P. D., Craun, S. W., & Foster, J. (2009). Public attitudes toward sexual offenders and sex offender registration. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 18(3), 290-301. doi:10.1080/10538710902901663 Poco D. Kernsmith is a Ph.D. in social work and teaches at Wayne State University, School of Social Work. This study shows that public support of registration requirements is based on fear. This illustrates how current legislation is not evidence-based. Letourneau, E. J., Bandyopadhyay, D., Sinha, D., & Armstrong, K. S. (2009a). Effects of sex offender registration policies on juvenile justice decision making. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 21(2), 149-165. The article is peer-reviewed and the authors are Ph.D.s, professors at the Medical University of South Carolina, and experts in the field. Their research shows that, due to recent legislation, prosecutors may charge juveniles with lesser crimes in order to protect

Shirley 10 them from registration. This will decrease their likelihood of receiving treatment and is an unintended consequence of recent legislation. Letourneau, E. J., Bandyopadhyay, D., Sinha, D., & Armstrong, K. S. (2009b). The influence of sex offender registration on juvenile sexual recidivism. Criminal Justice Policy Review, 20(2), 136-153. doi:10.1177/0887403408327917 The article is peer-reviewed and the authors are Ph.D.s, professors at the Medical University of South Carolina, and experts in the field. Their study shows that registration doesnt reduce recidivism rates for offenders, but instead makes juveniles more likely to be convicted of other non-sexual crimes. I will use this to show that research doesnt support sex offender registration. Letourneau, E. J., Bandyopadhyay, D., Sinha, D., & Armstrong, K. S. (2010). Do Sex Offender Registration and Notification Requirements Deter Juvenile Sex Crimes? Criminal Justice and Behavior 37, 553-569. doi:10.1177/0093854810363562 This article is peer-reviewed and the authors are professors at recognized universities. The article examines whether South Carolinas sex offender registration policy deters sex crimes. The authors conclude that South Carolinas policy does not deter juveniles from committing sex crimes as intended and is a good argument against sex offender registries. Miner, M. H. (2007). The fallacy of juvenile sex offender risk. Criminology & Public Policy, 6(3), 565-571. Michael H. Miner is an associate professor of family medicine and community health at the University of Minnesota. He is on the faculty of the Program in Human Sexuality and coordinates sex offender treatment. His research reviews recent studies on juvenile registration and suggests that juveniles should not have to register, but should be reintegrated into the community.

Shirley 11 Prentky, R., Harris, B., Frizzell, K., & Righthand S. (2000). An actuarial procedure for assessing risk with juvenile sex offenders. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 12(2), 71-93. The article is peer-reviewed and the authors do research for the Justice Resource Institute. This study details some of the problems associated with determining risk for reoffense with juvenile sex offenders. I will use it to show that more research needs to be done before we can determine who should have to register. Ryan, G., Leversee, T., & Lane, S. (2010). Juvenile sex offending: Causes, consequences, and correction. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. The authors of this book have Ph.D.s and have been nationally recognized for contributions to the field. They provide a comprehensive overview of juvenile justice policy and problems associated with current juvenile sex offender registration requirements. I can use this to help me define the issue I am researching. Sahlstrom, K. J., & Jeglic, E. L. (2008). Factors affecting attitudes toward juvenile sex offenders. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 17(2), 180-196. doi:10.1080/10538710801916705 This article is published in a peer-reviewed journal. It shows that overall public attitudes toward juvenile sex offenders and their treatment are negative. Since legislation is based on public perceptions, it suggests that more should be done to educate the public about juvenile sex offenders. Salerno, J. M., Najdowski, C. J., Stevenson, M. C., Wiley, T. R. A., Bottoms, B. L., Vaca, J., Roberto, et al. (2010). Psychological mechanisms underlying support for juvenile sex offender registry laws: Prototypes, moral outrage, and perceived threat. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 28(1), 58-83.

Shirley 12 This article is published in a reputable, peer-reviewed journal. It details an interesting study that shows that when people are given correct perceptions of juvenile offenders they are less inclined to support sex registration. I will use this as an argument against registration. Vandiver, D. M. (2006). A prospective analysis of juvenile male sex offenders: Characteristics and recidivism rates as adults. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 21(5), 673-688. doi:10.1177/0886260506287113 This article is peer-reviewed and the author is a professor at Illinois State University, Department of Criminal Justice Sciences. Her study followed 300 juvenile sex offenders to determine risks for recidivism and found that victim age, offender age, and victim sex are significant predictors of recidivism. I will use some of the risk factors she identified to support revision to current laws. Zimring, F. E., Piquero, A.R., & Jennings, W. G. (2007). Sexual delinquency in Racine: Does early sex offending predict later sex offending in youth and young adulthood? Criminology & Public Policy, 6(3), 507-534. This article is published in a peer-reviewed journal. It reports that findings indicate nearly 90% of juvenile sex offenders will not go on to become adult sex offenders. This casts doubt on the predictive value of registering juvenile sex offenders and the effectiveness of current legislation.