NCJ Number
183142
Date Published
2000
Length
11 pages
Annotation
The research reported in this paper examined the public's attitudes toward the treatment of sex offenders in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada and investigated whether negative responses to community-based sex offender treatment is typical of attitudes toward sex offender treatment facilities, along with public opinions regarding providing accommodation and employment to known sex offenders who have completed their sentences.
Abstract
Marshal and colleagues (1993) have argued that "sex offenders represent a class of criminals whose crimes call for both punishment and treatment." From the review of the literature reported in the current paper, apparently the public would tend to agree with this statement. Although many respondents viewed the treatment of sex offenders as a good idea, especially if they would eventually be released back into the community, the majority held that a sentence that consists only of treatment is unacceptable. The majority of respondents also favored the treatment of sex offenders only in prison or both in prison and in the community. Very few favored treatment only in the community. Although many of the respondents favored treatment, this was not necessarily reflected in their reaction to the placement of a treatment center in their communities. Neither would respondents want released sex offenders to be housed in their communities. Thus, although respondents tend to accept the treatment of sex offenders in the community after release from prison, they do not want treatment facilities in their neighborhoods, nor do they want released sex offenders living near them. 22 references