Trajectories of Sexual Offending: Evaluating the Impact of Treatment on Sexual Re-offending in the Long-Term

• In Event: Assessing, Treating, and Managing Sex Offenders

Abstract

There is widespread public concern about sex offenders, including a belief that these individuals are different than other types of offenders and are at a higher risk to re-offend over time. As a result, the management of this population is a top policy issue with an emphasis on incapacitation and punishment. The current study examines how mandatory psychological treatment for sex offenders in prison affects the level to which they re-offend after release. A major challenge of the studies assessing re-offending for this population has been the limited follow-up period, and there is a growing need to evaluate recidivism over a longer period of time. The data utilized in this study encompass a longer follow-up period so that the long-term risk of re-offending can be evaluated. Official records obtained from the Missouri Department of Corrections are utilized to address two main questions: What is the overall re-offending between sex offenders who complete treatment to those that do not? How quickly do sex offenders re-offend based on their level of treatment participation? The follow-up period covers four to twenty-three years to assess long-term recidivism.

Author

• Brooke Mayfield, University of Missouri - Saint Louis