Sexual Offenders Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sexual Offenders - Research Paper Example The management of sexual offenders is very challenging especially when a time comes for reunification with family members. This is especially so because most of these sexual crimes are perpetrated by known people most of who are family members (Langan, Schmitt & Durose, 2003). This is supported by Campbell (2007 p. 3) who argues that â€Å"preditors pose a serious threat to society even after they have served their sentences.† According to Fenner (2008 p. 2) the safety and protection of victims should be the first priority in the management of sex offenders combined with effective collaboration of the different stakeholders. Research has shown that recidivism rates are high for sexual offenders after they are released from prison. This is despite the various treatments available for offenders either in the community or in prisons. This research is aimed at discussing self offenders. It will look into the reasons why they engage in such conduct, why recidivism rates do not decl ine despite various interventions and also the various forms of treatment in place for such offenders. Sexual Offenders Sexual offenders in this case refer to those engaged in sexual crimes of rape, sexual assault, child molestation and statutory rape. ... 16) Child molestation involves sexual crime against children while statutory rape involves non forcible sexual acts such as incest, adultery. The definition of a child or minor varies from state to state or from one country to another but in most cases the consenting age is the age between 14 and 18 though many states considers those below the age of 16 as minors. Sexual acts with a minor whether forcible or non forcible are considered a sexual offense in the United States though with some exceptions (p. 5). First, for it to be considered a crime the offender must be above age 18. Secondly, the age difference between the offender and victim must be established and if the offender is less than 3 years older than the victim, then it is not an offense. Another exceptional case is whereby the offender is married to a minor; in this case if the sexual act was consented it is not an offense. However, these may vary across various jurisdictions. Research indicates that most offenders are li kely to repeat the offense even after incarceration (Langan et al. 2003; US Office of Justice Programs, 2012). In light of this, it is only appropriate to try and figure out why people engage in sexual offenses against family members especially children and also strangers in the first place. Many theorists have put forward various reasons as to why individuals perpetrate sexual violence against children. Some believe it is a result of multiple factors while others attribute it to cognitive distortions. However, all agree that biological, cultural, social and psychological factors combine to drive the offenders to abuse children or even adults (Fenner, 2008; Wad, Polaschek & Beech, 2006). One theory developed by Finkelhor’s in 1984 known as