Sex Offense Management and Supervision: A Framework for Advancing Research and Evidence-Informed Practice

Abstract

ABSTRACT Since the 1990s, the post-conviction management of individuals with histories of sexual offending has occupied a prominent place in U.S. criminal justice policy and practice. With over 200,000 such individuals under supervision nationwide, probation and parole agencies have deployed a range of specialized models of sex offender management and supervision (SOMS) to manage this “high stakes” population. Yet despite significant shifts in community supervision paradigms and research advances affecting SOMS practices over the past three decades, the body of research concerning the integration of evidence into these practices remains outdated and underdeveloped. In response to this need, the current article introduces the SOMS Framework, developed based on a multi-method investigation into the current state of SOMS practice. The framework aligns elements of the policy and practice environment with constructs elucidated through insights drawn from implementation science and knowledge utilization scholarship. Through this praxis orientation, the framework is intended to serve as a roadmap for use in the multiple contexts, including public policy development, agency-level planning and evaluation, and scholarly research.