Support and Accountability

In spite of credible evidence to the contrary, a perspective remains that sexual violence remains a problem out of control. The past 30 years have seen advances in the assessment, treatment, and risk management of sex offenders, and government-reported rates of reoffending are at all-time lows. Central to these gains is the idea that interventions must not only restrict access to potential victims and high-risk situations, but also promote the development of balanced, self-determined lifestyles. A focus on strength-based approaches, the rise of motivational interviewing, and greater collaboration amongst stakeholders has dramatically changed the risk management endeavour. An initiative that seeks to meld these important aspects is Circles of Support and Accountability, a restorative justice-informed model of wraparound care for high-risk/need sex offenders. Trained community volunteers collaborate with professionals to provide prosocial support to offenders while holding them accountable for their behaviour on re-entry, with results showing significant reductions in post-release reoffending in all domains.