The impact of training on attitudes towards sex offenders

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to measure attitudes towards sex offenders held by professionals and paraprofessionals and to evaluate an introductory training workshop aimed at increasing knowledge and improving attitudes to this client group. Eighty-five residential hostel workers and probation officers attended an intensive two-day training workshop and were asked to complete the Attitudes to Sexual Offenders (ATS: Hogue, 1993), Attitudes to Prisoners (ATP: Melvin, Gramling, & Gardner, 1985) and Working with Offenders Questionnaires (WOQ: see Hogue, 1995) before and after the training. Although none of the sample had previously received any formal training in working with sex offenders, all acted as supervisors of sex offenders in residential settings. The participants expressed significantly more favourable attitudes toward prisoners (non-sex offenders) compared with more negative attitudes toward sex offenders. Although there was little change in attitudes toward sex offenders post-training, there was a significant improvement in the participants’ confidence in working with sex offenders after attending the workshop. Eighty-six percent of the participants felt they had the skills to work effectively in treating sexual offenders. Female workers were more concerned for their safety and expressed more negative views towards sex offenders than male workers. Participants aged 35 years and older tended to express more positive attitudes regarding the rehabilitation of sexual offenders than did younger participants. Introductory training workshops for paraprofessionals are effective in improving awareness and confidence in working with sex offenders. Issues of staff selection and training are discussed.