National Strategy for Managing Sex Offenders

• NCJ Number: 166762
• Journal: Forum Volume: 8 Issue: 2 Dated: (May 1996) Pages: 33-35
• Author(s): S M Williams
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 3 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

This article profiles Canada's national strategy for addressing the needs of sex offenders and suggests how parents and communities can help prevent sex offenses.

Abstract

Sex offender assessment and treatment specialists from all Canadian regions met in 1994 to develop standards for sex offender treatment. The standards have been reviewed by a variety of groups. These national standards specify principles for the provision of sex offender services, guidelines for assessment, treatment and research, and a framework for evaluation and accountability. According to the standards, sex offender assessment should obtain information from a variety of sources, through various techniques, and at various times during each offender's sentence. The standards indicate that treatment should typically motivate offenders to take full responsibility for their offenses, help them identify their crime cycle, teach them to deal with deviant sexual fantasies and urges, and help them learn to cope with barriers to positive consensual and age- appropriate relationships. Other treatment goals include learning to channel anger, loneliness, and sadness; understand how others feel; and avoid or cope with high-risk situations. When evaluating program effectiveness, the standards emphasize the importance of examining offender risk levels, the length of the follow-up period, and failure criteria. Society as a whole must also assume responsibility for reducing sex offenses. The first level of intervention begins with parents. Parents must foster self-esteem in their children, set good examples, and teach safe behavior and how to distinguish between "good" and "bad" touching. Parents must also discuss sexual issues, attitudes, and behavior with their children. Intervention levels should include advice on safety procedures, a rapid response to the disclosure of sexual abuse, and the sharing of offender risk information. 11 footnotes