Are Similar Sex Offenders Treated Similarly? A Conjunctive Analysis of Disparities in Community Notification Decisions

Abstract

Using a sample of sex offenders in the state of Washington, the current study examines the nature and magnitude of disparities in notification decisions among distinct groups of sex offenders. The method of conjunctive analysis is used to describe the extent to which similar types of sex offenders (i.e., groups of sex offenders that share similar sets of risk factors for re-offending) are treated similarly in notification decisions. The observed patterns of widespread disparities in these decisions among distinct composite profiles of sex offenders are then discussed in terms of their implications for future research on evaluating disparity in criminal processing, the collateral consequences of notification decisions, and ongoing public policy on the control and management of sex offenders.