Moral Panics and the Community Attitudes Toward Sex Offenders (CATSO) Scale: Does the Perpetual Panic Over Sex Offenders Predict Participant Attitudes Toward this Group?

The post-conviction experiences of registered sex offenders tend to be a difficult experience associated with a variety of unintended consequences including social isolation and harassment. Those consequences result, in part, from community members’ perceptions of this offender group and fear associated with their crimes. Framed within the construct of a perpetual style moral panic, the current study seeks to examine whether prior attitudes and beliefs regarding SORN legislation are significant predictors of the Community Attitudes Toward Sex Offenders (CATSO) Scale. Furthermore, the study seeks to examine whether the elements of Cohen’s moral panic can stand alone in the prediction of the CATSO scale. Results of the study, future research needs, and policy implications are discussed.