Managing High Risk Sex Offenders In The Community: A Psychological Approach

By Jackie Craissati.
Brunner-Routledge
ISBN 1583911588
£16.99

Star rating: 4/5.

Using the media furore that erupted after the murder of Sarah Payne by a convicted paedophile as its launch pad, this book goes on to explore risk management from various perspectives, writes Richard Curen.  

Well-chosen case studies are used to illustrate the thinking that should take place around the management of high-risk sex offenders in their communities, and the chapters on risk assessment are comprehensively detailed. 

As a practitioner working with people with learning difficulties who sexually offend, I was dissatisfied with the sections dealing with treatment options and at the very brief mention of offenders with learning difficulties. The treatment model mainly discussed is the cognitive behavioural model, while psychodynamic approaches are only mentioned in passing. But this is understandable. The task the writer set herself was enormous and she readily admits that on many occasions the reader will have to refer to secondary literature to explore issues further. 

The book is timely and goes a long way towards bringing a contentious and complicated topic into a concise and measured format. 

It is a most informative read and it will prove to be a very useful resource for professionals working in this field. 

Richard Curen is the director of Respond.