Probation Management of Sex Offenders

Abstract

This research examined how probation officers and clinicians assigned to co-facilitate sex offender treatment groups assess treatment progress. Data for this study were collected from the progress assessments of 144 sex offenders assigned to treatment as a condition of their probation. Using a survey instrument, the probation officer—clinician teams assigned to co-facilitate the treatment groups scored offenders on items associated with compliance to probation conditions, self-labeling, and psychological insight. Consonant with the hypotheses, clinicians had a greater tendency to indicate progress that was driven by their perceptions of offenders of psychological insight. When probation officers perceived progress, it was driven by their perception of self-labeling by offenders. Ironically, offenders who were perceived as engaging in self-labeling were in fact more prone to violations. Findings are discussed in terms of the implications for effective management and supervision of convicted sex offenders.