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32 • Justice Research and Policy <br />Since an increase in one or both of these polulations may occur, thus poten- <br />tially increasing the rate of sex offenses multiplicatively, and since it appears that <br />neither of these elements can be controlled, the focus must shift to the third <br />element of routine activities theory—capable guardians. In the present instance, <br />this means that governments and the police must work to increase the effective- <br />ness of sex offender registration and notification. Furthermore, it appears im- <br />perative that more attention be given to community notification of the presence <br />of sex offenders. In this way, all who live and work in these areas have the poten- <br />tial to become capable guardians. As stated above, the police alone cannot pro- <br />vide effective guardianship against sex offenses because they cannot be in all <br />places at all times. It is important, then, that the community be enlisted to assist <br />them. Additionally, routine activities theory argues that the more capable guardians <br />there are, the greater the corresponding decrease in potential crime should be. If <br />notification and subsequent community involvement is undertaken effectively, <br />there may even be the multiplicative reduction in the rate of sex offenses, which <br />has been the goal of sex offender registration and notification from its inception. <br />A crucial next step in this line of research, then, is to further examine these <br />findings in relation to potential guardians. Research should examine whether <br />proper notification concerning sex offenders increases the effectiveness of ca- <br />pable guardians in neighborhoods, i.e., whether neighborhoods that are aware <br />of child sex offenders use that knowledge to increase guardianship at times and <br />places where the convergence of motivated offenders and potential victims is <br />likely to occur. If it is true that an increase in capable guardians can reduce crime, <br />and if it is true that community notification concerning sex offenders can in- <br />crease the number of guardians, then two substantial findings could result. First, <br />routine activities theory would be given its strongest support to date, and sec- <br />ond, and perhaps more importantly, the effectiveness of community notification <br />of sex offenders, which has only been supported through belief and opinion to <br />this point, could be validated.