NCJ Number
222671
Journal
Corrections Compendium Volume: 33 Issue: 2 Dated: March/April 2008 Pages: 12-27
Date Published
March 2008
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This report provides a summary of a survey conducted on sex offenders in the United States and Canadian correctional systems, as well as treatment programs and release provisions.
Abstract
Within 44 United States responding correctional systems, 182,488 individuals, or 15 percent of the 1.25 million total inmates in those systems were incarcerated for sex offenses. In the systems that gave exact numbers, 56 percent of the sex offenders were incarcerated for a first-time sexual offense. Ten systems were unable to identify first-time sex offenders. Twelve systems indicated that their numbers had increased, and only Kentucky stated that its numbers decreased. Twenty-nine reporting systems noted that their totals for sex offenders had remained about the same. Twenty-two of the reporting systems do not provide special accommodations for sex offenders. Some States (Iowa and Michigan) separate identified predators; some provide housing for sex offenders in close proximity to their treatment program areas, and others provide separate housing for all sex offenders or as an option for sex offenders. In the area of treatment, 80 percent of the systems provide either mandatory or voluntary individual counseling, 95 percent provide group counseling, 60 percent provide inmate support programs, 45 percent provide medical treatment, 88 percent provide relapse prevention, 65 percent provide offender-specific counseling, and 55 percent of the systems provide therapeutic communities. In the area of parole eligibility and release provisions, all sex offenders are eligible for parole consideration in 10 systems, whereas 27 systems reported that not all sex offenders are eligible. Release provisions cited include: requirements to register with law enforcement or other agencies, restrictions on housing, employment or proximity to schools, etc., GPS monitoring, polygraph testing, attending community treatment programs, and other court ordered stipulations. Forty-four United States systems and 2 Canadian systems responded to this survey on sex offenders in prisons; however, information on Canadian provinces is not provided in the summary. Tables