Problem Definition and Agenda Setting Among Pennsylvania's Municipal Governments: Sex Offender Residency Restriction Ordinances
Open Access
- Author:
- Shoop, Diane Elaine
- Graduate Program:
- Public Administration
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- September 21, 2009
- Committee Members:
- Beverly Ann Cigler, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
Beverly Ann Cigler, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Shaun L Gabbidon, Committee Member
Harold Bundick Shill Iii, Committee Member
Holly L Angelique, Committee Member - Keywords:
- Residency Restriction Ordinances
Public Policy
Agenda Setting
Problem Definition
Municipal Government
Sex Offender - Abstract:
- This study examined public problem definition and agenda setting at the local government level. Pennsylvania municipal sex offender residency restriction ordinances served as the vehicle for this research. It centered on four objectives: 1) exploration of differences between municipalities that enacted ordinances and those that did not; 2) examination of how municipalities framed the issue and problem; 3) consideration of why the problem rose to the municipal agenda; and 4) investigation of how municipalities considered the issue. Multiple methods were employed for this single state case study including the primary means of statistical analyses, content analysis, and time analysis. These were supplemented by survey research and records research. Results suggested that ordinances enacted by one municipality triggered another municipality to consider the issue. The number of municipal ordinances of this type in a county, along with the number of registered sex offenders (and sexually violent predators), reported crime, and population density were predicting factors that a municipality would have an ordinance. Discouragement of sex offenders locating to a municipality given another municipality’s restrictions and following the lead of other municipalities appeared to be the reasons for the emergence of one ordinance after another, rather than one municipality emulating the innovativeness of another municipality. Ordinances had a similar foundation in that they based their justifications on the protection of the health and safety of their residents and targeted specific areas for restrictions. However, the ordinances' details covered a wide range of specified restricted areas, distances, processes, protocols, and sanctions for violations. The subjective nature of policy making was exposed as was the lack of evidence-based research and practices. End products included a model for examination of agenda setting and problem definition in this field across states and a framework for measuring components of ordinances themselves. A baseline of Pennsylvania municipal ordinances was created.