Only with research involved will classifications result in a realistic result. And, notice which researcher is involved: Jill Levenson, Lynn University.1-28-2011 Florida:
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office is combing through its hundreds of sex offender records to identify who is most likely to commit another sex crime. Those few will be getting additional scrutiny, deputies said.
With a $150,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, deputies are working with Lynn University Bachelor's, master's & online degrees academics to develop the checklist.
As the overall population grows, so does the number of sex offenders, the Sheriff's Office said. The sex offender population here, now with nearly 900 individuals, has nearly doubled since 2000, deputies said.
About 600 offenders will be analyzed at Lynn, sheriff's Sgt. Mark Jolly said.
Not included in the list's criteria for reoffending are women, child pornography convicts and offenders convicted of consensual statutory rape.
"We'll be able to target those individuals who are more of a threat to the community," Jolly said. "It will change how we respond now [by] doing some surveillance and having a closer look at some offenders."
The project should be completed by the end of the year, he said.
The 10-question form focuses on men who were 18 or older when released from prison. The form, which also is used by the state Department of Children & Families, was created in 1999 by R. Karl Hanson, a senior research officer with Public Safety Canada, and David Thornton, a director at a sexual-violence treatment center in Mauston, Wis.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office likely is the first law enforcement agency in Florida to use the list, said Jill Levenson, a clinical social worker at Lynn University working on the project.
The assessment, she said, is much like questions asked by car insurance agencies to determine risks of drivers. And just like "at-risk" drivers, just because a sex offender appears more likely to reoffend, doesn't mean he will, Levenson said.
"It's obviously not a perfect system. You can't predict whether a person will reoffend," she said. But "you can't supervise 600-700 sex offenders all the same. It's unrealistic. You can't expect it and it's not necessary. We're trying to pool the resources."
After assessments are done, each high-risk case will be reviewed by deputies, researchers, treatment providers and victim advocates to determine if the offender is a potential risk. Those at risk of committing new crimes will be offered free counseling, which is funded by the grant, but also will be under the watchful eye of deputies.
In realty, only a few people are likely to reoffend, Levenson said.
"The majority of sex offenses are committed by a small number of predatory or pedophilic offenders," Levenson said. "The [form] is a risk-assessment instrument that has been validated across dozens of studies.
"By following large groups of sex offenders over long periods of time, the characteristics of those who do reoffend are observed to see which factors lead to increased risk."
Deputies routinely check on sex offenders two to four times a year, Jolly said.
Jennifer Dritt, executive director of the Tallahassee-based Florida Council Against Sexual Violence, said a homogenized approach is fine for risk assessment. It's the treatment that needs an individualized approach.
"When you look at risk and recidivism, there're some pretty clear indicators of risk," Dritt said. "It makes the most sense to use the tools supported by research to identify the most dangerous offenses." ..Source.. by Jerome Burdi, Sun Sentinel
