Geographic exclusion: Spatial analysis for evaluating the implications of megan's law

Tony H. Grubesic, Elizabeth MacK, Alan T. Murray

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

37 Scopus citations

Abstract

In the state of Ohio, House Bill 180, Senate Bill 175 and Senate Bill 5 collectively form Megan's Law. This law requires individuals convicted of a sexually oriented offense to register with the local sheriff 's office at least twenty days prior to the move-in date of the offender. Beginning July 31, 2003, Megan's Law prohibited an offender of a sexually oriented offense from establishing or occupying a residence within 1,000 feet of any school-related properties. A major social concern with this law and its subsequent enforcement is the belief that the geographic constraints placed on registered sex offenders effectively eliminate nearly all residential housing options. The purpose of this paper is to explore issues of geographic exclusion by conducting a spatial analysis of registered sex offenders in Hamilton County, Ohio. Analysis using geographic information systems (GIS), proximity evaluation and basic statistical techniques enables the impacts of this law to be assessed.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)143-162
Number of pages20
JournalSocial Science Computer Review
Volume25
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2007
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Geographic exclusion
  • Geographic information systems (GIS)
  • Proximity analysis
  • Sex offenders

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Social Sciences
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Library and Information Sciences
  • Law

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Geographic exclusion: Spatial analysis for evaluating the implications of megan's law'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this