Management Of Sex Offenders Research Articles

Reexamining predictors of trial outcomes in New York State's sex offender civil management process.

In 2007, New York enacted the Sex Offender Management and Treatment Act, empowering the state to civilly manage individuals who have committed sexual offenses (respondents) and are deemed to have a mental abnormality (MA) that predisposes them to sexually recidivate after serving their criminal sentences. We sought to replicate and extend a previous study (Lu et al., 2015) to identify factors predicting legal decisions. We predicted, on the basis of previous research, that clinical information (e.g., diagnosis) as well as empirically supported risk factors (e.g., sexual deviance) would predict trial outcomes. We analyzed multiple pieces of demographic, criminogenic, and clinical data on three nested subsamples of respondents on the basis of the legal process: MA consent (n = 713), MA trial (n = 316), and disposition hearing (n = 643). The binary outcomes of interest were as follows: For the MA consent subsample, it was whether the respondent waived their MA trial; for the MA trial subsample, it was whether the respondent was found at trial to have an MA; and for the disposition hearing, it was whether the respondent was ordered to inpatient or outpatient civil management. The strongest predictor of waiving the trial was geographic location; respondents outside New York City and Long Island were more likely to waive their trials (ORs = 2.38-3.37). The strongest predictors of MA trial and disposition hearing outcomes were Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders diagnoses; pedophilia (ORs = 4.05-7.22) and sexual sadism (ORs = 2.68-7.03) diagnoses increased the likelihood of an MA finding and confinement order. Judges and juries give significant weight to clinical information, particularly pedophilia diagnoses, when making civil management legal decisions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

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

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.

What Works (or Does Not) in Community Risk Management for Persons Convicted of Sexual Offenses? A Contemporary Perspective.

Contemporary data from the United States show that rates of sexual offending and reoffending have been in steady decline for decades. Nonetheless, nonprofessionals continue to view sexual violence as a community safety issue fraught with risk and uncertainty. The past 30 years have been witness to considerable research and practice in the assessment, treatment, and risk management of persons who have sexually offended. Gains have also been made in regard to prevention and citizen education. Modern day technologies include actuarial risk assessment instruments, measures of criminogenic need and treatment progress, refinements to treatment processes, and the establishment of evidence-based models. Legislative authorities in the United States and elsewhere have also attempted to affect risk in the community with, perhaps, lesser degrees of success. This article reviews current policies and practices, with a specific focus on what happens when offenders are released to the community (e.g., how public policies intended to track offenders and/or restrict their movements can negatively affect community reintegration). Comprehensive approaches to community sexual offender management are examined in addition to suggestions of unique approaches intended to ensure citizen buy-in and engagement.

Reconceptualising ‘risk’: Towards a humanistic paradigm of sexual offending

Within Western criminal justice traditions, the ‘risk’ paradigm has become the defining logic of contemporary laws and policies on sex offender management. This article critically examines the limitations of current technocratic and algorithmic approaches to risk in relation to sexual offending and how they might be addressed. Drawing on nearly two decades of theoretical and empirical research conducted by the author, it applies the learning on sex offender reintegration and desistance to advance a ‘humanistic’ paradigm of sexual offending. The paper attempts to counter some of the dangers of algorithmic justice and shift risk-based discourse away from its predominantly ‘scientific’ origins. It argues that such a move towards a more expansive and progressive version of risk within criminal justice discourses would better capture the realities of sexual offending behaviour and its real-world governance.

A Dual-Process Approach to Moral Panic and Public Support for Sex Offender Management Policies.

The current study explores if and how dual-process thinking styles (System I/experiential and System II/rational processing) predict and explain the degree to which members of the public express moral panic toward and support for existing sex offender management policies (registration, notification, residence restrictions), regardless of their efficacy or effects on recidivism rates, for different types of individuals who commit sex offenses (sex offender, juvenile sex offender, cybersex offender, female sex offender, rapist, child molester). Online experimental methods were used with a lay sample (N = 324). Results show that the extent to which participants exhibited a reliance on System I processing significantly predicted their feelings of moral panic (concern, hostility, and volatility) toward individuals classified as child molesters. Further, feelings of concern, hostility, and volatility, as significant predictors of support for existing sex offender management policies for individuals classified as child molesters, were found to increase as a function of participants' reliance on the System I, experiential thinking style. Implications of this work, specifically related to addressing public support for existing sex offender management policies for individuals classified as child molesters, are discussed.

Understanding what works in the police management of child sex offenders in the community

Police are becoming increasingly responsible for monitoring convicted child sex offenders in the community. A Rapid Evidence Assessment was undertaken to capture ‘what works’ and what ‘shows promise’ in existing and emerging, innovative policing practices. A total of 920 searches were performed across five databases, spanning the last 5 years. After removal of duplicates and those that did not meet inclusion criteria, 61 articles were analysed. Two key strategies, with sub-strategies, emerged: (1) formalised, targeted management and (2) technology-assisted management. An adapted ‘EMMIE’ framework presents the ‘effects’, the overarching ‘mechanisms’ and ‘moderators’ of success, and ‘implementation’ considerations for effective practice.

“They’re Not Monsters!” Changing University Students’ Perceptions of Child Sex Offenders through Education and Contact

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a global public health problem. Assessing public attitudes toward child sex offenders is important since public opinions have affected judicial decision-making regarding sex offender management policies and laws. Study objectives were to assess university students’ perceptions of offenders before and after a Sex Crimes Against Children course, and examine the potential anti-stigmatizing effect of interacting directly with people who had committed sex crimes. Compared with a previous study where only indirect contact was available, students who had direct contact with offenders reported more positive affective responses, had more positive attitudes toward sex offender treatment and rehabilitation, along with lower support for post-sentencing policies. Findings support the humanizing impact of interacting with members of the stigmatized group. Better informed public opinion is essential to support evidence-based crime prevention policies and ultimately prevent CSA.

Understanding and assessing juvenile sexual offenders

Over the past several decades, increasing attention has been focused on sexual abuse and problematic sexual behavior perpetrated by children and youth. The nature and scope of juvenile sexual offending is considerable. Nationwide, juveniles under the age of 18 make up just under 20% of those arrested for sexual offenses (Center for Sex Offender Management 2018). Juvenile sexual offenders (JSOs) are a specific subset of this population, encompassing “[a] person who has been convicted of a sexual offense and who is considered by law to be old enough to be held criminally responsible for the crime, but not so old as to be subject to the full range of adult criminal sanctions” (Barbaree and Marshall 2006, p. 3). While this is a concise definition, of note the cardinal criterion is not a specific behavior, but the interaction between a behavior and the justice system. As such, it is important to note that it is not until the youth has been found guilty or adjudicated in a court of law that the term “JSO” is technically accurate.

Narratives in Sex Offender Management Laws: How Stories About a Label Shape Policymaking

Narratives in Sex Offender Management Laws: How Stories About a Label Shape Policymaking

An Investigation into the Personality Profiles of Male Sexual Offenders in Limpopo Province

ABSTRACT A critical component in the management of sex offenders is an understanding of their personality traits, which relates to their childhood development, as this could contribute to more effective treatment interventions. This study sought to determine the personality profiles, pertaining to psychopathology, indicators of attachment, aggressive and paranoid characteristics of male sexual offenders. The researchers conducted a cross-sectional survey at five correctional facilities. The data was collected from 112 sex offenders using the PAI questionnaire. Of the 112 participants, 87.5 percent were single and most of the offenders (56.3 %) did not have any psychopathology. Many sex offenders with Insecure Avoidant Attachment (25.0%) were from single parent families. Most of the respondents (51.8%) have paranoid characteristics, with no significant relationship between marital status and paranoid tendencies in male sex offenders. The most predominant type of attachment in male sex offenders is Insecure Avoidant Attachment with high levels of Personality Disorders in male sex offenders (Borderline and Anti-Social Personality Disorder). A high proportion of the sample displayed aggressive tendencies with those who were unemployed more likely to display more aggression. Respondents who were single displayed more psychopathology than those who were married.

The impact of a community psychological treatment programme on desistance in personality disordered sexual offenders

ABSTRACT Approximately 1% of the male population acquires a sexual conviction over their lifetime with sexual recidivism rates of approximately 13% over 5 years. The effect of treatment on sexual recidivism is modest. The Challenge Project has adopted an integrative approach to the treatment of sexual offenders, combining both attachment and desistance theory. It assumes that all individuals with sexual convictions eventually desist from offending, and the intervention programme aims to maximise opportunities to achieve a prosocial life in the community. The aim of this thematic analysis was to explore the process of desistance in a sample of high-risk sexual offenders with persistent and pervasive psychological difficulties, who have been recently released to the community. Participants’ experiences of their engagement in Challenge and its impact on achieving their desistance goals were captured in five key themes. As a whole, these key themes reflected the importance of high-quality relationships with professionals and support from significant others; the role of cognitive transformation and redemptive narratives in achieving key desistance goals; and managing the stigma of living with sexual convictions. These findings have potentially relevant implications for policy-making and clinical practice when working with and managing sex offenders in the community.

Transgender sex offenders: gender dysphoria and sexual offending

PurposeTransgender sex offenders are a small, complex and atypical group. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the issues in relationship to the assessment of gender dysphoria in transgender sex offenders and approaches to risk management.Design/methodology/approachClinical and research experience as a Gender Specialist and Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist who has managed sex offender populations has informed this publication.FindingsLittle is known about the relationship between gender dysphoria and criminality. More research is required to develop a typology of transgender sex offenders and develop actuarial risk instruments. Protective factors in relation to gender affirmative care are also important to understand.Research limitations/implicationsThere is little empirical research to guide gender specialists and criminal justice professionals in the management of gender dysphoria and address risk and recidivism in transgender offender populations. The treatment of gender dysphoria could result in improved well-being and better psychosocial adjustment but cannot be relied to reduce future recidivism.Practical implicationsThere is no evidence that treatment of gender dysphoria reduces risk and recidivism in transgender sex offenders and that research is required to identify specific gender related dynamic risk factors.Social implicationsRecommendations are directly relevant to the work of prison and probation staff, community supervisors and gender identity specialists.Originality/valueAs far as the author is aware it is the first paper on the assessment and management of gender diverse sex offenders integrating approaches to gender dysphoria assessment and treatment and risk management. It has implication for gender identity specialists, criminal justice professionals, research and policy.

A Study on the Problems and Improvements of the Police's Sexual Offender Management Plan

A Study on the Problems and Improvements of the Police's Sexual Offender Management Plan

Facilitation of Residential Diversion Programmes for Youth Sex Offenders in South Africa

This article explores practical issues social workers need to consider in the facilitation of residential diversion programmes for youth sex offenders in South Africa. It draws on a broader study which explored the use of residential diversion programmes in the management of youth sex offenders in South Africa. The research design combined qualitative and quantitative approaches to data collection, analysis and presentation of data. A purposive sampling method was adopted, and in-depth individual face-to-face interviews were conducted with ex-youth sex offenders, their significant others, and professionals involved in the management of youth sex offenders and/or their victims in a variety of settings. The study found that some respondents preferred individual counselling, some preferred group counselling, while others preferred a combination of both. It can be inferred that both methods are important and that each can play an important role in the rehabilitation of youth offenders. The youth respondents also felt that a good sense of humour and incorporation of physical activities in group sessions would be the most effective facilitation style. Most respondents preferred that the residential diversion programmes for youth sex offenders be facilitated by social workers rather than volunteers or paraprofessionals. The professionals who participated in the study unanimously agreed that a generic social work degree does not fully prepare social workers for working with sex offenders. Based on the key findings of the study, several recommendations are proposed for the effective facilitation of residential diversion programmes for youth sex offenders.

Impressions of ineffectiveness: exploring support partners’ attitudes toward sex offender registration and notification

ABSTRACTThe present study utilized in-depth qualitative interviews with 38 people who provided formal social support to registered sex offenders to explore their attitudes toward sex offender registration and notification (SORN). Findings revealed that there were three primary areas of perceptions that these support partners had concerning SORN laws. These themes – incapable of adequately raising public awareness, unable to impact sex offender recidivism, and inappropriate for most sex offenders – suggested that such policies were ineffective strategies for sex offender management. Limitations, directions for future research, and corresponding policy implications are discussed.

More, Longer, Tougher … or is it Finally Time for a Different Approach to the Post-Sentence Management of Sex Offenders in Australia?

In Australia, the pace of legislative reform in relation to the post-sentence management of sex offenders has been particularly frenetic since 2016. This article analyses these recent reforms, arguing that while they have been extensive in number, they have not been extensive in nature: governments have simply sought to do more of the same, even though there is little evidence to suggest that this is likely to improve community safety. By contrast, evaluations suggest that some more innovative approaches may be effective in assisting sex offenders to reintegrate into communities and in reducing re-offending. This article discusses three such approaches: Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA); Chaperone Programs; and Support and Awareness Groups (SAAGs). It suggests that, if governments are truly committed to the goal of enhancing community safety, approaches of this nature seem a better target for public investment.

‘You’re never really free’: Understanding the barriers to desistance for registered sexual offenders in the community

This article explores the relationship between the current model of community sex offender management, which is underpinned by mechanism of control and enforcement, and desistance from sexual offending. Utilizing data from qualitative interviews with 20 men convicted of sexual offences, we found that while existing practices offer some reassurance to those managing the public protection arena, they do little to encourage the substantive processes of identity change which is necessary for long-term desistance. This raises important considerations for how current risk management practices may be improved to encourage desistance and community reintegration.

Police Officers’ Perceptions of a Sex Offender Registration Scheme: Identifying and Responding to Risk

This article reports on interviews with 17 participants responsible for managing sex offenders on a sex offender register scheme. Semi-structured interviews were conducted that covered the topics of the participants’ policing experience and their thoughts on the register and risk assessment. Nine themes were identified as being particularly important: the purpose of the register; concerns about community perceptions; a lack of resources; recognition that risk assessment is essential but limited; a desire to tailor interventions to individual offenders; the need for more training despite staff competency; the inadequate sharing of information; concerns about how well the legislation captures the sex offending space; and confusion about how to interpret online offending. This research provides first-hand views on how the register can be improved and how police would like a register to look when executing the essential and challenging job of monitoring convicted sex offenders upon their release back into the community.

Management of sexual offenders in England and Wales: forms of detention and treatment approaches

Dieser Beitrag beschreibt den Umgang mit Sexualstraftatern in England. Zunachst werden einige Besonderheiten der britischen Gesellschaft und deren Rechtssystem dargestellt. Sodann werden Fakten zu Sexualstraftaten prasentiert sowie die rechtlichen Grundlagen und praktischen Aspekte der Unterbringung und Behandlung im Strafvollzug sowie in der forensischen Psychiatrie. Im Hauptteil werden dann das „Sex Offender Treatment Programme“ (SOTP), dessen Struktur und Inhalte, beschrieben sowie Studien zur Effizienz der psychologischen Behandlung von Sexualstraftatern diskutiert. Insbesondere wird eine neuere Evaluation des SOTP vorgestellt, deren Ergebnisse (fehlende Effizienz des SOTP) letztlich zur Abschaffung des SOTP in seiner bisherigen Form gefuhrt haben. Zum Ende hin werden noch neuere Gesetzesinitiativen und innovative Interventionen zum Umgang mit Sexualstraftatern dargestellt.

Sexual Sadism Among Sex Offenders in Switzerland.

The Sexual Sadism Scale (SeSaS) was developed to assist in the diagnosis of sexual sadism, and it revealed adequate psychometric properties in prior research. This study cross validated the SeSaS in Switzerland using a sample of 179 male sex offenders. Specifically, the SeSaS conformed to a Mokken model of double monotonicity (scalability coefficient [H] = .46, coefficient of reproducibility [CR] = .89), indicating that it measures a unidimensional construct of sexual sadism with hierarchically ordered items. The reliability of the scale was acceptable to high (ρ = .80, λ2 = .75, κ = .88). In addition, the SeSaS was strongly associated with sexual sadism diagnoses based on mental health manuals (rpb = .60, odds ratio [OR] = 13.02, area under the curve [AUC] = 1) but not with recidivism. The results suggest that the use of the SeSaS may improve the validity and reliability of sexual sadism diagnoses, therefore playing a role in the assessment and management of sex offenders.