Community Management of Sex Offenders (From Handbook of Sex Offender Treatment, P 27-1 - 27-13, 2011, Barbara K. Schwartz, ed. - See NCJ-243091)

• NCJ Number: 243118
• Author(s): Lori Koester Scott, M.C.
• Date Published: 2011
• Length: 13 pages
• Sale Source: Civic Research Institute, Inc
• Publication Format: Book Chapter
• Publication Type: Technical Assistance; Instructional Material
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter's presentation of guidelines for the community supervision of sex offenders on probation or parole focuses on the features of the Maricopa County, AZ, sex offender probation program (highlighted as a model program by the National Institute of Justice).

Abstract

The following tools as well as other tools are used by the Maricopa County probation office in supervising sex offenders: lifetime probation, polygraph testing, surveillance officers, specialized caseloads, curfews, and community notification laws. The chapter's brief discussion of the continuum of control emphasizes "aggressive" supervision, both in the evaluation process and in subsequent monitoring and treatment. A continuum of control should be developed in which risk to the community is minimized while rehabilitation is conducted. "Specialized conditions" are emphasized in another section of the chapter. In Maricopa County, specialized conditions include no use of illicit drugs or alcohol, no use of sexually stimulating materials, search of an offender's home when there is reasonable suspicion, restriction of the offender's movements in the community, prohibition on entering into new relationships with women who have children, and a curfew if the offender is continually absent when field visits are attempted. The chapter's discussion of "specialized officers and surveillance" notes that probation and parole officers' specialized training and skills increase the effectiveness of community supervision. Surveillance officers should be used to monitor offenders' locations and movements. A review of the research indicates that specialized surveillance is effective. The chapter's section on "treatment and teamwork" favors mandatory treatment; treatment content is suggested. Regular polygraph testing while on probation is recommended, and the chapter discusses its use in a separate section. The chapter's remaining sections consider families and reunification, lifetime probation, and new challenges. 18 references