Residency Restrictions for Sex Offenders: A Failure of Public Policy

Abstract The subject of local residency restrictions for sex offenders is not widely discussed among planners and others because sex offenses are abhorrent and the fear of ex-offenders is widespread. The number of sex offenders is large—by one report there are some 550,000 registered sex offenders nationally. But as more local and state governments adopt residency restrictions, planners and their lawyers may find themselves at the center of the debate. What are the issues, what do we know, what has been the experience elsewhere, and how can we handle this seemingly intractable issue when it ultimately comes before us?