NCJ Number
201994
Date Published
July 2002
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This paper describes characteristics of sex offenders and their victims and proposes "ideal" components for managing sex offenders in the community.
Abstract
Based on analyses of self-report victimization surveys of women in the United States, researchers have determined that most sexual assaults are committed by a person known to the victim or the victim's family, regardless of whether the victim is a child or an adult. Approximately two-thirds of State prisoners convicted of rape or sexual assault offended against children. A set of characteristics (e.g., physical, mental, psychological, personality, emotional) common to all or most sex offenders has not been identified; however, the majority of sex offenders are males. Still, research indicates that females commit approximately 20 percent of offenses against children. Most sex offenders have a cycle that is associated with their offending behavior; the cycle may begin hours, days, weeks, or even months before the actual sex crime is perpetrated. Researchers have argued that offenders who receive specialized and intensive sex-offender treatment have a significantly lower rearrest rate than offenders who have not received such treatment. The prevalence of sexual abuse perpetrated by youth has increased in recent years, and many communities are confronted with managing adult sex offenders with developmental disabilities. At a minimum, the management of sex offenders in the community should be conducted by multidisciplinary teams that include supervising probation or parole agents and treatment providers who work together to individualize supervision and treatment plans according to the needs and risks of a specific offender. Additional management components can include sex offender registration, postconviction polygraph exams, re-entry programs, community notification, and civil commitment. The paper concludes by advising that criminal justice personnel should forge collaborative partnerships with professionals in the public-health and primary-prevention field in an effort to stop sexual victimization before it occurs. 14 references