FACTSHEET:
Crime Victims & Corrections
In 1982, the Final Report of the President’s Task Force on Victims of Crime included four key recommendations to improve victim services in the parole process.
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Policy Statement: Sex Offender ManagementThe Alliance supports holding sex offenders accountable for their actions as a means of stopping violence and protecting communities from criminals. As an organization whose very premise is based on the needs of survivors, we recognize that preventing sexual assault and abuse before they occur is of primary importance. The devastating effects that these types of crimes have upon individuals, families, and communities challenge us to endeavor to prevent them.We believe that additional legislation regarding the punishment and treatment of sex offenders is necessary and should be based on evidence-based practice whenever possible and must take a victim-centered approach. Evidence-based practice helps to ensure that the most effective approaches are developed and implemented within the criminal justice system to help eliminate the number of sex offenders who become repeat offenders. The victim-centered approach provides victims with a voice and takes into consideration that the majority of sex offenses are perpetrated by someone known to the victim. One of the most effective ways to minimize the rate at which sex offenders re-offend once released back into the community is to enforce lifetime monitoring. A recent study by the Arizona Probation Department found that when sex offenders were placed on lifetime probation/parole and adequately monitored, sex offense recidivism was reduced to less than 2% over a 16 year period, whereas sex offenders who did not receive lifetime probation/parole had a recidivism rate of 15%. This study examined 2,900 sex offenders who were not given lifetime probation and 2,300 sex offenders who were given lifetime probation. This single study is promising and deserves to be replicated. The Alliance supports the development and maintenance of resources so that offenders living in NYC can be adequately monitored. Two systems that exist now are the NYC Department of Probation and the Sex Offender Registry run by the NYPD. In NYC Probation, sex offenders are required to report to their supervisors on a regular basis, and the officers engage in community supervision. The average caseload is 65 to every 1 probation officer. The sex offender registry requires sex offenders to provide an up-to-date address and other information and to verify this information on a regular basis based on their assessed level. Innovation in containment beyond what presently exists needs to be developed so that offenders are provided with the structure and resources to decrease chances of re-offending. Innovation in containment refers to a shift from the established sex offender management model to a new approach where victim and community safety are at the center of treatment and supervision. A containment approach holds sex offenders accountable for their actions by imposing continuous monitoring, enforcing the restrictions set forth by probation or parole, and ensuring offenders receive appropriate treatment. Containment also involves assisting offenders to remain safely in the community by surrounding them with supportive services in order to prevent re-offense. In a study of sexual offense recidivism conducted in 2000, the second largest risk factor for recidivism was the offender having little or no support system (Hanson & Harris). Innovative policies that prioritize the safety and well-being of victims and communities should be developed and evaluated. Education and prevention programs are an essential aspect for eliminating sexual assault and sexual violence in the United States. It is imperative that the public be provided with education. While the notification aspects of the sex offender registry may be beneficial because community members learn about a particular sex offender, there is a need to educate the public about how this information can actually keep them safe. The majority of sex offenders are never apprehended because of low reporting rates, making real safety precautions even more imperative. Additional information on how sex offenses are committed and by whom can help establish true prevention strategies that involve the community. Increasing sex offender accountability, greater criminal liability and stricter sentencing is important, but it is also necessary to have effective means of intervention and prevention programs. Effective models must hold sex offenders genuinely accountable and also provide appropriate treatment options when appropriate. The Alliance supports holding sex offenders responsible for their actions. The legislation related to sex offender management must continue to focus upon public education and prevention. The Alliance advocates for a fairer distribution of resources that provides New York City and New York State with the necessary funds to intervene with sex offenders in the community, treat victims, and educate the public regarding sexual assault and sexual violence. < -- Previous Policy Statement | Next Policy Statement --> |
Voices and Faces:
Charlotte Pierce-Baker 
"The way out is to tell: Speak the acts perpetrated upon us, speak the atrocities, speak the injustices, speak the violations of the soul. Someone will listen, someone will believe our stories, someone will join us."
Read more about Charlotte at The Voices and Faces Project »
Miriam Stanley
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