NCJ Number
201666
Journal
Corrections Today Magazine Volume: 65 Issue: 5 Dated: August 2003 Pages: 60-62,64
Date Published
August 2003
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article describes the on-going study entitled, the Dynamic Supervision Project, which seeks to identify risk factors for re-offending in sexual offenders.
Abstract
The community supervision and management of sex offenders is a crucial role of probation and parole officers. However, many of these officers have questions regarding the proper management of sex offenders. As such, the Dynamic Supervision Project was implemented to identify risk factors for re-offending among this population. While other studies have been done, and risk assessment instruments exist, a new study was needed that was prospective in nature and did not rely on the memories and perceptions of probation and parole officers. This article describes the study, which involves a 2-day training course for probation and parole officers. Upon completion of the course, the officers are asked to enroll the sex offenders in caseload into the project. The sex offenders complete the Static-99 Assessment and the Stable Dynamic Assessment measures, which allow the officers to assess six main areas of stable risk in the offender. The stable assessment is then re-administered every six months and, at each supervisory meeting, the officer assesses seven areas of acute dynamic risk. Preliminary results of the on-going study suggest that both static and stable risk levels can be identified to help the officer determine the best course of action for the supervision of the offender. Study challenges include extended follow-up periods and possible experimenter effects.