community notification, risk assessment, and civil commitment of sex offenders

Community Community Notification, Risk Notification, Risk

Assessment, and Civil Assessment, and Civil Commitment of Commitment of

Sex OffendersSex Offenders

Sexually Violent Predator Sexually Violent Predator StatutesStatutes

Earl Shriner (1989)Earl Shriner (1989) Washington became the first state to Washington became the first state to

enact the second generation of enact the second generation of Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) statutesstatutes

Kansas v. HendricksKansas v. Hendricks

Kansas v. HendricksKansas v. Hendricks 19971997 5 to 4 USSC split5 to 4 USSC split Convicted of Child Convicted of Child

Molestation five times in Molestation five times in Kansas Kansas

Agreed that he was a Agreed that he was a pedophilepedophile

Stated that only death Stated that only death would prevent him from would prevent him from committing additional sex committing additional sex crimes crimes

http://www.cnn.com/US/9706/23/scotus/hendricks.jpg

Sexually Violent Predator Sexually Violent Predator Statutes Statutes (Cont.)(Cont.)

Civil Commitment Civil Commitment Indeterminate SentencesIndeterminate Sentences 32 states have SVP statutes on the 32 states have SVP statutes on the

books or are in the process of books or are in the process of enacting this type of commitment enacting this type of commitment law law

Expensive CommitmentExpensive Commitment

Sexually Violent Sexually Violent PredatorPredator

Curtis Shane ThompsonCurtis Shane Thompson Was adjudicated a SVP Was adjudicated a SVP

in Washingtonin Washington Was released by a juryWas released by a jury Committed additional Committed additional

crimes after release crimes after release from his civil from his civil commitmentcommitment

Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration ProgramSexually Violent Offender Registration Program

Jacob WetterlingJacob Wetterling

Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration and Sexually Violent Offender Registration

ProgramProgram The Federal Government requires states to The Federal Government requires states to

keep a list of their sex offenders or risk losing keep a list of their sex offenders or risk losing their federal crime prevention funding. their federal crime prevention funding.

Lifelong registration in some cases.Lifelong registration in some cases. Addresses have to be verified every 90 days.Addresses have to be verified every 90 days. All states currently have registry system in All states currently have registry system in

place. place. By the mid-1990s over 185,000 sex offenders By the mid-1990s over 185,000 sex offenders

were registered were registered (Lieb et al., 1998).(Lieb et al., 1998). Depends on the state; however, the registry is Depends on the state; however, the registry is

often set up in a tiered fashion. often set up in a tiered fashion.

Registration and Community Registration and Community NotificationNotification


Megan’s LawMegan’s Law States were mandated to release information States were mandated to release information

from the sex offender registry to the public as from the sex offender registry to the public as deemed necessary to protect the public.deemed necessary to protect the public.

Multiple ways the information can be Multiple ways the information can be disseminated.disseminated. Yard signsYard signs Bumper stickersBumper stickers Community meetingsCommunity meetings InternetInternet

Has withstood numerous legal challenges.Has withstood numerous legal challenges. No hard data yet exists for or against No hard data yet exists for or against

community notification. community notification.

Community NotificationCommunity Notification For For

Lets citizens know who is living in their Lets citizens know who is living in their neighborhood.neighborhood.

Can help parents/guardians protect their children. Can help parents/guardians protect their children. Law enforcement has provided anecdotal evidence Law enforcement has provided anecdotal evidence

as to its effectiveness. as to its effectiveness. AgainstAgainst

Creates a false sense of community securityCreates a false sense of community security Discourages offenders from seeking helpDiscourages offenders from seeking help Wastes fundsWastes funds Vigilantism Vigilantism

Little evidence to suggest physical violence.Little evidence to suggest physical violence. OstracismOstracism Innocent victims (family members)Innocent victims (family members) Information may not be accurateInformation may not be accurate

Forensic Psychologists & Forensic Psychologists & Sex OffendersSex Offenders

Conduct SVP evaluationsConduct SVP evaluations Determine existence of a “mental disorder”Determine existence of a “mental disorder” Assess risk to reoffend Assess risk to reoffend

Assess appropriateness for Assess appropriateness for probation/paroleprobation/parole

Assess level of risk for degree of Assess level of risk for degree of community notificationcommunity notification

Provide sex offender specific treatment Provide sex offender specific treatment in both correctional and community in both correctional and community settingssettings

Risk Assessment of Sex Risk Assessment of Sex OffendersOffenders

Risk assessment is controversial Risk assessment is controversial Clinical prediction alone is inferior to Clinical prediction alone is inferior to

other methodsother methods Psychological maladjustment, low self-Psychological maladjustment, low self-

esteem, history of being sexually esteem, history of being sexually abused as a child, and denial of one’s abused as a child, and denial of one’s offense are not related to recidivism. offense are not related to recidivism.


(What appears to work…at least to some extent) (What appears to work…at least to some extent) History History

Past behavior is the best predictor of Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior.future behavior.

Sexual Deviance Sexual Deviance Extrafamilial or complete strangers, Extrafamilial or complete strangers,

victims much younger than the victims much younger than the perpetrator, & male victims.perpetrator, & male victims.

Treatment ComplianceTreatment Compliance


Substance AbuseSubstance Abuse Mixed results Mixed results

PsychopathologyPsychopathology Not just Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD)Not just Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) Good predictor for future violence & future Good predictor for future violence & future

sexual violencesexual violence More typical for rapists than child molestersMore typical for rapists than child molesters Some indication that psychopathic offenders Some indication that psychopathic offenders

become “worse” with sex offender treatmentbecome “worse” with sex offender treatment

Instruments/Tools Used in Risk Instruments/Tools Used in Risk Assessment & Treatment of Sex Assessment & Treatment of Sex

OffendersOffenders

Actuarial Instruments Actuarial Instruments Violence Risk Appraisal Guide Violence Risk Appraisal Guide

(VRAG)(VRAG) Sex Offender Risk Appraisal Guide Sex Offender Risk Appraisal Guide

(SORAG)(SORAG) Rapid Risk Assessment for Sex Rapid Risk Assessment for Sex

Offense Recidivism (RRASOR)Offense Recidivism (RRASOR) STATIC-99STATIC-99

Static-99 Static-99 Revised Revised

Instruments/Tools Used in Risk Instruments/Tools Used in Risk Assessment & Treatment of Sex Assessment & Treatment of Sex

OffendersOffenders (Cont.)(Cont.)

Psychopathy Checklist-Revised Psychopathy Checklist-Revised PCL-RPCL-R

Penile PlethysmograpyPenile Plethysmograpy PolygraphPolygraph Team Supervision Team Supervision

(Approach/Collateral Information)(Approach/Collateral Information)

Abel Assessment for Sexual Abel Assessment for Sexual InterestInterest

community notification, risk assessment, and civil commitment of sex offenders

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