NCJ Number
207616
Journal
Sex Offender Law Report Volume: 5 Issue: 6 Dated: October/November 2004 Pages: 71-72,78
Editor(s)
Karen J. Terry Ph.D.
Date Published
October 2004
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article briefly describes the development and implementation of a sex offender court system in an attempt to better address the public’s concern for safety and address sex offenders’ underlying addictions through treatment and graduated community supervision.
Abstract
The implementation of drug courts has been touted as a success in their attempt to deal with the offenders’ underlying addictions through mandatory treatment. Based on the success of drug courts, it is strongly believed that the utilization of specialized sex offender courts to address sex offenders’ underlying addictions through treatment and graduated levels of community supervision could be as effective. It is recommended that specialized sex offender courts be based upon the therapeutic jurisprudence approach used in drug courts and other problem-solving courts. It is also imperative that all actors in the courtroom work group, such as judges, attorneys, psychiatrists, and probation and parole officers be trained to understand issues unique to sex offenders. Elements involved in a successful and effective sex offender court include: (1) an understanding that the judge’s role is the most important; (2) the forming of behavioral contracts; (3) a continual assessment of risk; (4) the necessity of a polygraph assessment; (5) updating risk level for registry; (6) and relapse prevention. By applying many of the same fundamentals to sex offenders, as to drug offenders, the hope is that these individuals, given the opportunity, can become productive citizens.