@article{ref1,
title="The relationship between policy, media, and perceptions of sexual offenders between 2007 and 2017: a review of the literature",
journal="Trauma, violence, and abuse",
year="2021",
author="Zatkin, Judith and Kaufman, Keith and Sitney, Miranda",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="Sexual violence is a prominent social problem that harms many victims every year. Perpetrators of these crimes tend to exist in a binary. Some are convicted by the  criminal justice system, where they face sanctions such as jail time and  registration and are demonized by society. Others never face any sanctions for harm  caused and are exonerated for their actions. This review examines public perceptions  of sexual offenders in the United States through the institutional-level constructs  of federal policy, media, and institutional myths. A review of the literature on  this topic from 2007 to 2017 produced 37 relevant articles, which were placed into  three categories using thematic analysis: (1) perceptions about sexual offenders and  perceiver differences, (2) media about sexual offending and effects of media  consumption on perceptions of offenders, and (3) support for offender policies and  effects of policy on perceptions of offenders. A review of these topics reveals that  there are prominent institutional myths about sexual offending. A cyclical  relationship is formed, where media perpetuates institutional myths, myths drive  policy, and policy leads to media reporting. This review utilizes community  psychology theory to examine and interpret the literature as well as to formulate  research and intervention suggestions.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1524-8380",
doi="10.1177/1524838020985568",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1524838020985568"
}