Input from the frontlines: parole and probation officers’ perceptions of policies directed at those convicted of sexual offenses

Abstract

Sex offender laws were designed to decrease sexual violence. The current mixed methods study examined attitudes and opinions of parole and probation officers who have supervised individuals convicted of sexual offenses (n = 361) regarding sex offender legislation and how these policies can be most effective in preventing recidivism. About half of the officers reported that registration and notification, sexually violent predator and Halloween laws were largely effective in preventing sexual victimization. Conversely, they perceived residence restriction laws and the tier system to be largely ineffective. A consistent theme that emerged from the qualitative responses was a movement away from blanket approaches towards a case-specific approach, tailoring the laws to individuals based upon their needs and risk level.

Keywords:

• individuals convicted of sexual offenses
• legislation efficacy
• parole officers
• probation officers
• sex offender legislation

Ethical standards

Declaration of conflicts of interest

Leak Kaylor has declared no conflicts of interest.

Michelle Feinberg has declared no conflicts of interest.

Kseniya Katsman has declared no conflicts of interest.

Cecilia Allen has declared no conflicts of interest.

Emily Greene-Colozzi has declared no conflicts of interest.

Dylan Johnson has declared no conflicts of interest.

Elizabeth Jeglic has declared no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee [City University Of New York Institutional Review Board, Protocol # 673424] and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study