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Preliminary Results of National Study Indicate 1 in 6 Sex Offenders Attempt to Avoid Monitoring, Tracking


Sex Offender Authentication Study Conducted by UC's CIMIP, U. of Mass-Lowell, ID Analytics

Written By Rocco Suppa '11, PR Intern

CIMIP study preliminary findings indicate ways sex offenders can hide in plain sight

Contact
cleogrande@utica.edu

Utica, NY (07/25/2012)
- Sex offenders have been in the news a lot lately, causing mounting concerns for parents and guardians.

Two techniques that sex offenders may be using to escape detection from the law are manipulating their ID and residing at residences for which they are not approved, a recent study has found.

Preliminary results from the national study indicate that as many as 16.6 percent appear to be utilizing one or more of these techniques to escape mandatory tracking and monitoring by law enforcement agencies.

Donald Rebovich, Ph.D., executive director of Utica College’s Center for Identity Management and Information Protection (CIMIP), working in conjunction with the University of Massachusetts-Lowell and ID Analytics, studied how sex offenders are avoiding registration/tracking under the new sex offender reporting/tracking systems.

Preliminary findings indicated that several of the most frequent identity manipulation methods utilized by sex offenders to avoid detection were:
• Using multiple aliases.
• Using various identifying information such as social security numbers or date of birth.
• Stealing identifying information from family members.
• Manipulating either their own name, or changed name through marriage.
• Using the address of family members or friends.
• Altering physical appearance.
• Moving to other states with less stringent laws.

Rebovich and his colleagues employed various techniques to carry out their research such as:
• Conducting site visits where they interviewed subject matter experts in several states to discuss the registration, monitoring and absconder location process.
• Sending out a nationwide survey to law enforcement involved with sex offender registration, monitoring and location.
• Analyzing data on registered sex offenders from the FBI/CJIS national database to develop estimates of the extent and nature of the missing sex offender problem, examine missing sex offender locations and to identify the factors that distinguish compliant from noncompliant sex offenders.

With this knowledge, law enforcement can develop methods and procedures to combat a growing societal problem.

“The management and control of known sex offenders has become a national, state and local priority,” said Rebovich. “This study will undoubtedly be beneficial when it comes to identifying and monitoring sex offenders identity manipulation, tracking address history and locating sex offenders who have absconded.”

The project was funded through a grant by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), a component of the U.S. Department of Justice, which seeks to provide leadership and services in grant administration and criminal justice policy development to support local, state and tribal justice strategies to achieve safer communities
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Utica College’s CIMIP is a research collaborative dedicated to furthering a national research agenda on identity management, information sharing and data protection. Founded in 2006, its ultimate goal is to impact policy, regulation, and legislation, working toward a more secure homeland.

For more information about CIMIP, visit www.utica.edu/academic/institutes/cimip.

Here are links to some of the coverage this story received:

MSNBC

http://redtape.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/07/25/12935445-one-in-six-sex-offenders-lives-undetected-digital-double-life-study-finds?lite

Fox News

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/07/25/16-percent-sex-offenders-nationally-manipulate-identities-study-finds/

New York Daily News

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-07-26/news/32874504_1_offenders-identity-thieves-casey-price

Utica Observer -Dispatch

http://www.uticaod.com/news/x1343991915/UC-study-Some-sex-offenders-try-to-avoid-tracking


About Utica College – Utica College, founded in 1946, is a comprehensive private institution offering bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. The College, located in upstate central New York, approximately 90 miles west of Albany and 50 miles east of Syracuse, currently enrolls over 3,700 students in 37 undergraduate majors, 27 minors, 22 master’s and two doctoral degree programs.

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