NCJ Number
210875
Date Published
2005
Length
210 pages
Annotation
This book presents the perspectives of sex offenders regarding their treatment and management by the criminal justice system in the United Kingdom.
Abstract
The social problem of sexual assault against women and children in the United Kingdom has become widely acknowledged. Indeed, the public’s fear regarding sex offenders has led to a demand for draconian sentences along with a demand for treatment that will reduce the likelihood of future sexual offending. While much is known about the public’s perceptions regarding both sexual offenders and the effectiveness of the criminal justice system, little is known about how sex offenders view their treatment and management by the criminal justice. This book represents the first attempt to explore the perspectives of sex offenders regarding the criminal justice initiatives designed to both control and manage their risk of sexual re-offending. Part 1 of the book presents a review of the current criminal justice measures used to managed and treat sex offenders in the United Kingdom. Following the book’s introduction in chapter 1, chapter 2 turns to a description of the legislative response to sexual offending in England and Wales over the past two decades while chapter 3 analyzes the role of rehabilitation within the contemporary criminal justice system. Part 2 focuses on an empirical account of sex offenders’ perceptions regarding their treatment and management. Chapter 4 explores sex offenders’ views concerning the way in which the public perceives and reacts to sex offenders followed by an exploration of sex offenders’ decisions to start and completed treatment in chapter 5. Chapters 6 through 8 focus on sex offenders’ perceptions regarding their involvement in treatment. The analysis details their perceptions of group-work and their accounts of “what works.” Chapter 8 also presents the experiences of two participants who re-offended while in treatment. Finally, part 3 offers conclusions and considers tentative suggestions on how to effectively deal with the threat posed by sexual offenders. Tables, extracts, bibliography, index