Managing Sex Offender Risk

 Managing Sex Offender Risk
 Edited by Hazel Kemshall and Gill McIvor,
 Jessica Kingsley Publishers
 ISBN 1843101181, £17.95

 STAR RATING: 3/5





This accessible text provides an introductory overview of key issues related to the management of risks presented by sex offenders. Most of the chapters are quite descriptive, and some of the information will be known to those familiar with the field, writes Andrew Durham.

The book considers the characteristics of sex offenders – men, women and young people; risk assessment and intervention; and community-based risk management strategies. Some
chapters draw comparisons between English and Scottish legislation. Unfortunately, the book appears to have been printed before the Sexual Offences Act 2003, and the information about sex offender registration is out of date, and there is no discussion of the new Preventative Orders from Part Two of the Act.

As a collection of chapters written separately, there is some repetition, with similar considerations of victim empathy, risk assessment and relapse prevention. Grubin’s chapter on risk assessment, and Ward, Purvis and Devilly’s chapter on relapse prevention heory are more analytical, and offer critiques of current heory and practice.

Grubin cautions against a lack of clarity when considering the meaning of risk and recommends distinctions being drawn between likelihood, imminence, consequences and frequency of offending. Ward et al’s selfregulation model identifies multiple pathways to sexual offending, as opposed to a singular relapse process. Overall this is a useful volume that will be of interest to
busy practitioners and students in the field.

Dr Andrew Durham is consultant practitioner, Sexualised Inappropriate Behaviours Service, Warwickshire and author of Young Men Who Have Sexually Abused – A Case Study Guide