The Role of the Victim and Victim Advocate in Managing Sex Offenders

1
The Role of the Victim and Victim Advocate in
Managing Sex Offenders

• Section 1
• Introduction

2
Overview of Curriculum

• Introduction
• Understanding Sexual Assault from a Victims
  Perspective
• Working with Victim Advocates
• Enhancing Victim Involvement in Sex Offender
  Management
• Strategies for Applying the Victim-Centered
  Approach

3
Training Goals

• To provide an overview of
• What is meant by a victim-centered approach to
  the management of sex offenders in the community
• The impact sexual assault can have on its
  victims
• The rationale for and the benefits of involving
  victims and victim advocates in sex offender
  management and
• Some of the ways that those involved in sex
  offender management including victims and
  victim advocates can effectively collaborate.

4
Learning Objectives

• Participants will be able to describe
• The benefits of involving victims and victim
  advocates in sex offender management and
• The three dimensions of a victim-centered
  approach to sex offender management.

5
Why Are We Here?

• Preventing re-offense
• You cant do it alone!

6

How Do We Benefit?

• More information about offenders patterns of
  offending and modus operandi
• More information about offenders history
• Input on release planning and setting conditions
  of supervision
• Better, more specific and accurate treatment and
  supervision plans and
• Help in monitoring offenders.

7
How Do Victims and Victim Advocates Benefit?

• Their safety and information needs more
  consistently and thoroughly met
• Opportunities to provide input that could help to
  more effectively understand and manage the
  offender and
• Opportunities to collaborate on activities and
  initiatives that could help to prevent future
  victimization.

8
Premises of Sex Offender Management

• Requires multi-disciplinary collaboration.
• Victim and community safety are paramount and
  should be placed at the forefront of sex offender
  management strategies.

9
Victim-Centered Approach as a Philosophy

• Broaden our lens to include victims and victims
  advocates, not just the offender
• Recognize the ongoing risk offenders pose to the
  safety of victims and the community and
• Look to victims and victim advocates to inform
  our policies and strategies.

10
Victim-Centered Approach as a Method

• Reframe the questions that guide decisionmaking
  to consider the impact on victims
• Broaden our multi-disciplinary approach to sex
  offender management to include victim advocates
  and
• Seek out victim input to inform strategies.

11
Conclusion

• Questions
• Coming up next
• Understanding Sexual Assault from a Victims
  Perspective
• Working with Sexual Assault Victim Advocates
• Enhancing Victim Involvement in Sex Offender
  Management and
• Strategies for Applying the Victim-Centered
  Approach.