Background of the study
Sex offenders may be unwelcome in most parts of society, but their treatment and subsequent rehabilitation is critical. Sex offenders have been on the rise over the past years. Attempts to classify these offenders into particular categories where each case can be viewed in isolation have always been frustrated by the heterogeneous population that is a characteristic of our society. Offenders often within a subgroup for example rapists or exhibitionists may be too diverse to classify using the available technologies (Finch & Moxley, 2003).
It is challenging to conduct rehabilitation exercises for sex offenders because it is difficult and expensive to do so. Although indecent exposure and prostitution are controlled by law, other sexual offenses such as rape, buggery, indecent assault, indecent exposure, prostitution, incest, unlawful sexual intercourse and procuration are not only difficult to control but also hard to define in terms of scope. It is really challenging to produce the picture of sexual offenders because a wide range of offending behavior is involved and the profile of the characteristics of any offender will be based on the one caught and convicted, who may not necessarily be typical of the offenders in general (Finch & Moxley, 2003).
A higher proportion of the victims of sex crime know their attacker, considering the fact that date rape is on the rise. Some sex offenders are individuals who are disturbed and are inadequate enough to form satisfactory relationships (Crow, 2006). The response to offending reflects, implicitly or explicitly, the theory of which is still held in the community regarding the nature of either a specific crime or of crime in general.
The community’s perception on how the sexual offenders should be treated is likely to depend on what is thought to be the reason for their offending. One of the views is that sexual offending is a personality disorder, and that those who commit such offenses are in some ways deranged or sick and that they need psychiatric or psychological treatment (Coleman, Dwyer & Pallone, 1992). Another view is that sex offenders know perfectly well what they are doing and that what they are doing is evil, and that they deserve severe punishment. A third view may be that sexual offending is abnormal and that, since most sexual offenses are perpetrated by men, they are an extension of the way that men exercise power over women and children.
Treatment of sexual offenders in society, therefore, faces certain challenges. First, it seems almost obvious that if the treatment works, then it probably worked for certain set/ or types of offenders and not with others. Some evidence suggests that there is a possibility that treatment may increase the risk of re-offense for highly psychopathic offenders. Most of the time, offenses that are committed against children and young persons are portrayed as producing considerable feelings of anger in the minds of people (Burke & Selfe 2001). These feelings normally increase when these offenses are sexual and if they go unpunished. Society should accept the view that sometimes, and to a large extent, these sexual offenders are victims of forces beyond their own control and that they merit whatever help that society can offer to prevent further offending and facilitate normal life in them.
Problem Statement
Sexual offenders are a group of people with a sad personal history, in which their deviant sexual behavior represents an effort to do away with the pain they experienced during their early stages of psychosocial development. Unfortunately, public policies around the world encourage more punishing laws and less support for the offenders, thus raising the question of the importance of rehabilitation. Because of this, research should be carried out to validate the importance of rehabilitation or if the current practice should be continued.
But with the understanding and greater awareness of the extent of sexual violence which is perpetrated against individuals in the society, one can understand the outcry for the punishment for the individuals and wanting all sexual criminals off the society for fear of further victimization.
Research Question
This study will be seeking to answer the following questions
- Where do sexual offences occur mostly in the society?
- How is the community impacted by the sexual offences?
- What factors determine community vulnerability to sexual offences?
- How does the community cope with the sexual offenders?
Purpose and objectives of the study
The overall objective and purpose of this study is to carry out an assessment on the sexual offenders and the significance of rehabilitation. The specific objectives are;
- To map out the causes of sexual offence in the society
- To determine the possible impacts of sexual offences
- To examine the factors determining the communities’ vulnerability to sexual offences
- To development a master plan for rehabilitation of the sexual offenders
Rationale of the Study
One of the anticipated outputs of this research is to produce a sexual offences susceptibility map in the society. Under the standard human rights necessities, everybody is accorded the right against self-incrimination, ‘no person shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself. Therefore sexual offences susceptibility mapping is indispensable in sexual offences risk reduction strategies. In addition, efforts need to be taken to understand that shape the offenders actions and that of the communities’ vulnerability to sexual offences.
Significance of the study and the anticipated output
The study seeks to make an important contribution to the improvement of planning and management of the rehabilitation services for sex offenders. The findings from this study and recommendations will help policy makers and decision makers in their efforts to define effective rehabilitation management strategies and coping mechanisms for the affected community. The lesson learnt will be fed back to the community and rehabilitation groups to facilitate sound decision making at the community and rehabilitation centers’ level. The study will culminate in the development of a sexual offences susceptibility map and the preparedness matrix.
Limitation of the study
The study will be limited by the pervasive nature of the society. The society has policies that encourage punishment against the perpetrators of the sexual offences. Again its going to be challenging conducting research on the effectiveness of rehabilitative services since determining conclusively that sex offender treatment is or is not effective is problematic because it is difficult and expensive to do so.
Theoretical Framework
Rehabilitation is essentially a humanitarian response to wrongdoing in the society and a possible means of bringing about the improvement or humanization of criminal sanctions. It offers the criminal justice system a unique avenue of improvement and has the potential of improving peoples’ reaction against crime (Crow & Robinson 2009). Modern rehabilitative policies challenge the commonly held notion that the dark side of the society can be forgotten and the offenders can simply be sent into the prisons. They instead propose to offer the offenders a sound and trustworthy opportunity to remake their lives.
Research Hypothesis
Sexual offences normally occur in low-income neighborhoods and these impacts heavily on the society. Personality disorder is the factor that determines sexual offences in the society and psychiatric treatment should be administered to the offenders. Sexual offences are an extension of brutality against children and women within the society.
Scope
Sexual offences are common and have resulted in massive cultural degradation and rot in the society and sometimes loss of human life. The main focus will be on the groups and communities affected by these offences and the various institutions involved in rehabilitative services. Factors to be investigated will be limited to social, political, cultural, physical and economic spheres of life within the society. The impacts of sexual offences on the society will be assessed to determine whether they are direct, indirect, multiplier or synergistic in nature. This will then form the basis upon which the existing coping mechanisms in the community will be assessed.
Definitions of Terms
- Sexual Offence – refers to the unlawful penetration of the vagina or anus by either a man or woman without consent of both parties, for example, using anybody part like finger in case of women or penis in cases involving men. It also involves the act of intentionally touching another person sexually without his/her consent.
- Sexual Offender – Sexual offender is an individual who commits sexual offence
- Vulnerability- Refers to the characteristic and conditions of a community, system or asset that makes it susceptible to the damaging effects of an action.
- Impact- Refers to the positive or negative aspects and effects of an occurrence.
Reference List
Burke, V., & Selfe, D.W. (2001). Perspectives on sex, crime and society. New York: Routledge.
Coleman, E., Dwyer, S.M., & Pallone, J.N. (1992). Sex Offender Treatment: Psychological and Medical Approaches. New York: The Haworth Press, Inc.
Crow, I. (2006). The treatment and rehabilitation of offenders. New York: Sage Publications.
Crow, I., & Robinson, G. (2009). Offender Rehabilitation: Theory, Research and Practice. New York: Sage Publications Ltd.
Finch, R.J., & Moxley, D.P. (2003). Sourcebook of rehabilitation and mental health practice. New York: Springer Publications Ltd.