Information On Sex Offender Risk Assessment

By Mattie MacDonald


Sex offender is a title given to those who have been convicted of committing sex crimes. In some instances, this term might also be used for people who have committed less serious offenses, such as urinating in a public space. The definition of a sex crime may vary based on factors such as legal jurisdiction or possibly culture. Usually laws are organized into different sections, such as sexual, traffic and assault. People who have been convicted of these types of crimes are likely to face serious repercussions. A sex offender risk assessment test might be used as a tool to determine the likelihood that a past offender will commit another offense in the future.

There are different professionals who might be tasked with carrying out this assessment. In some cases, this might be the responsibility of probation or parole officers. It might also involve assessment by individuals in the medical field or those working at state hospitals who utilize this instrument to assess offenders.

Essentially, this analysis is based around research studies. It involves identifying details about offenders that, when present, can predict the risk of re-offense. Some of these factors include the age of the person, prior convictions or arrests for these types of offenses, as well as violence, and the targeted victim.

These risk scores are based on large groups of offenders. That is, the score does not reflect each individual. Nonetheless, it is expected that a person who falls under a certain scoring in the system may have a similar chance of re-offense.

Sex crimes are a negative, traumatic experience for most victims. Sometimes targeted persons are vulnerable, as is true of young children. These are some of the reasons why the assessment is used by officials, as predicting future offenders may be helpful in preventing them entirely. Generally speaking, sex-related offenses are considered serious and not taken lightly.

These tests, while helpful, are not always 100 percent accurate in their predictions. However, these may be up to 75 percent correct. The level of risk may increase or decrease with time. Typically it decreases over a period of time, especially when the person has not been caught engaging in sexual crimes. But for those who do not stay out of trouble, other violations can increase their risk, even if they are not sexual offenses.

Overall, the practice is designed to prevent this type of violence, which is quite common. The test can be of aid to parole and probation officials who need help in deciding how to handle the offenders. It can be used to help make important decisions, include treatment options and supervision required. These assessments are used in numerous jurisdictions but not every one. The score may be given before an offender is sentence, in treatment or after release.

Registered offenders who have been scored will have this information included on their profile. That is, their score, date of scoring and risk level. This information can be extremely beneficial in reducing the occurrence of sex-related crimes and preventing occurrences. Though not error proof and based on statistical information from large groups, this can be successful at preventing further offenses.




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