NCJ Number
196255
Journal
Corrections Compendium Volume: 27 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2002 Pages: 8-20
Editor(s)
Susan L. Clayton
Date Published
July 2002
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This article presents findings from a 2002 survey of U.S. State and Canadian Province corrections systems regarding the inmate population of sex offenders and their treatment, along with pertinent release provisions and policy changes.
Abstract
A State-by-State and Province-by-Province table on sex offender populations in 45 States and 7 Canadian correctional systems provides data and information on the number incarcerated, percentage of the inmate population, the number of first-time sex offenders, changes from the previous 2 years, and special housing accommodations. The data indicate that overall the number of sex offenders remained about the same as 1 year ago when a similar survey was conducted. The number increased in 12 U.S. States and 2 Canadian systems, while sex offender populations decreased in only 4 U.S. systems. Of the number of sex offenders incarcerated in the respective reporting U.S. systems (149,420) and Canada (2,313), Utah and Wisconsin indicated that 25.1 percent of each of their total inmate population was incarcerated for sex offenses. Information on treatment for sex offenders in each of the reporting jurisdictions addresses whether the treatment is mandatory or voluntary, types of treatment (individual counseling, group counseling, inmate support, medical, relapse prevention, cognitive/behavioral, offense-specific, and therapeutic community), and victim-offender reconciliation. The table on release provisions covers parole eligibility, special release provisions, and recidivism tracking. The table on policy changes within the past 2-3 years pertain to changes in sentencing and corrections.