Management of Sex Offenders in Community Settings

Abstract

Sexual violence is a serious social issue with grave consequences. Sexual victimization is associated with a variety of adverse physical, psychological, and social outcomes, including posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, substance abuse, suicide, sexually transmitted diseases, and risky sexual behavior. After a number of highly publicized sexually violent crimes against children during the 1980s and 1990s, reducing sexual violence became a legislative priority in the United States, leading to a surge of federal, state, and local legislation intended to reduce sexual offending and re-offending. This chapter reviews and critically evaluates a variety of approaches to the management of adult sex offenders in community settings. It briefly describes sex offender recidivism data. The chapter examines specific community management techniques, including registration and notification, residency restrictions, and electronic monitoring. It assesses two integrative approaches to sex offender community management, the containment model and Circles of Support and Accountability. Finally, the chapter offers overall conclusions regarding community management of sex offenders and recommendations for future research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)