Recidivism of Sex Offenders
Many believe sex crimes to be one of the most despicable and brutal crimes an individual can both commit and experience. Sexual offenses violate the most intimate part of a person, violating physically, emotionally, mentally, and sexually. It is often falsely believed that the rate of recidivism for sex offenders is higher than the average crime, due to its oftentimes violent and invasive nature. Due to this belief, sex offenders are often stigmatized by the public, even upon releasement. In order to understand the recidivism of sex offenders, this presentation will gather information from researchers who explored elements which show promise in reducing their rate of recidivism. This will then prevent future sex crimes, thus reducing the number of victims and leading citizens to become more productive. Despite the stigma and other obstacles which increase the likelihood of recidivism, researchers pinpointed possible elements which indicated reduced recidivism rates. Those elements include purposeful sentencing, rehabilitation and therapy, and reintegration techniques. Understanding what perpetuates sex offender recidivism as well as developing tools in order to prevent recidivism, the anticipation is fewer sex crimes, thus, fewer brutal violations of innocent men, women, and children. Future directions for research and victim impact will also be addressed.
PSY 499
Mary Ann Winter-Messiers
P003
2 – 2:30 PM