The Effective Management of Juvenile Sex Offenders in the

Community Section 5:

Supervision

Section 5 2

Goals • Define “success-oriented” philosophy and

approach

• Explain how to begin to develop comprehensive and individualized supervision plans

• Highlight specific strategies used for supervising juvenile sex offenders

• Outline ways in which multidisciplinary collaboration can enhance supervision efforts

A Success-Oriented Philosophy and Approach

Section 5 4

Recent Emphasis of Supervision

• Surveillance

• Monitoring compliance

• Deterrence

• Sanctioning

Section 5 5

-20%

-10%

0%

10%

20%

surveillance-orientedreduced supervision caseloadsdeterrence programsshock incarcerationboot campsscared straight

better outcomes

poorer outcomes

(Aos et al., 2001; Lipsey & Wilson, 1998)

Effectiveness of “Get Tough” Strategies

Section 5 6

A Balanced Supervision Approach

• Beyond surveillance, monitoring, deterrence, and sanctioning

• Emphasizes rehabilitation

• Successful, productive youth translates into safer communities

Section 5 7

-70%

-60%

-50%

-40%

-30%

-20%

-10%

0%

10%

supervision w/coordinated services

supervision w/advocacy & casework

supervision w/multiple services

supervision w/behavioral programming

supervision w/counseling

(Aos et al., 2001; Lipsey & Wilson, 1998)(Aos et al., 2001; Lipsey & Wilson, 1998)

Effectiveness of Rehabilitation and Success-Focused Strategies

poorer outcomes

better outcomes

Section 5 8

What Does It Mean to “Focus on Success?”

• Ensure that youth meet expectations

• Hold youth accountable for behaviors

• Collaborate with others to improve functioning and promote stability of youth

Section 5 9

Potential Collaborative Partners

• Treatment providers

• Parents and/or caregivers

• Victim advocates

• School personnel

• Youth mentors

• Faith community members

• Community volunteers

• Employers

Section 5 10

Implications for Supervision Officers

• Case management role

• Ongoing communication with providers

• Actively support youth in treatment

• Become familiar with “what works” and how it works

Section 5 11

Developing Supervision Plans

Section 5 12

Supervision Case Plans

• Guided by

• Risk and needs

• Strengths and assets

• Environmental factors

• Needs of victims and vulnerable parties

Section 5 13

Standard Supervision Conditions

• Curfew restrictions

• Drug testing

• Prohibitions against associations with delinquent peers

• School attendance

• Reporting requirements

• Community service

• Restitution

Section 5 14

Specialized Conditions

• Internet or computer restrictions

• Limits on TV programming and video games

• Prior approval of extracurricular and employment activities

• Restrictions on contact with victims or other vulnerable individuals

• Follow all treatment recommendations

Section 5 15

Examples of Approach Goals

• Participate in prosocial recreational and leisure activities

• Achieve and maintain positive school adjustment

• Establish positive peer groups

• Secure appropriate employment

Section 5 16

Collaboration Enhances Supervision Planning

• Access key information from multiple sources

• Cover all bases

• Increased awareness of changes over time

Section 5 17

Matching Supervision Intensity with Level of Risk and Needs

Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice Supervision Matrix

High Risk Moderate Risk Low Risk

First 90 days Level 5 Level 4 Level 3

Months 4-6 Level 4 Level 4 Level 3

Months 7-12 Level 4 Level 3 Level 2

Months 13-18 Level 3 Level 3 N/A or Level 2

Months 19-24 Level 2 N/A or Level 2 N/A or Level 1

After Month 24 N/A or Level 1 N/A or Level 1 N/A or Level 1

Community Supervision Period

24-30 Months 18-24 Months 12-18 Months

Section 5 18

High, Moderate, or Low Risk?

• Structured determination based on

• Interviews of and information from the juvenile, family/caregivers, and others

• Review of written information collected

• Department of Juvenile Justice risk assessment tool

• J-SOAP-II and CANS-SD results

• Psychosexual and psychological evaluations

• Sex Offender Risk Checklist

Section 5 19

Accompanying Contact Requirements

• Level 5

• 3 or more face-to-face contacts per week

• Level 4

• 2 or more face-to-face contacts per week

• Level 3

• 1 or more face-to-face contacts per week

• Level 2

• 1 or more face-to-face contacts every other week

• Level 1

• 1 or more face-to-face contacts per month

Section 5 20

Supervision Strategies

Section 5 21

Community Support Networks

• Serve as role models

• Engage juveniles in positive social interactions and activities

• Provide positive reinforcement

• Help youth to use skills learned in treatment

• Monitor and respond to high risk behaviors and situations

• Communicate openly with supervision officers about progress and problems

Section 5 22

Challenges with Involving Parents

• Feeling overwhelmed by “the system”

• Multiple, confusing, duplicative expectations

• History of negative encounters with the system

• Professionals’ assumptions about and responses to families

• Stigma associated with sex offending

• Less than ideal family dynamics

• Having to “choose” one child over another

Section 5 23

Tips for Engaging Parents

• Be patient • Educate• Normalize denial and resistance• Process the contributors to denial and

resistance • Provide information

• Identify common ground and common goals

• Offer education classes and support groups – or make referrals to them

Section 5 24

Initial Contacts in the Office Setting

• Establish a positive rapport

• Review all paperwork

• Make referrals to appropriate providers

• Allow time for questions

Section 5 25

Ongoing Contacts in the Office Setting

• Identify other community support network members

• Review and modify the case plan

• Discuss management of risk factors and lapses

• Inquire about successes

• Check in about treatment progress

• Verify information provided by others

Section 5 26

Conducting Home Visits • Observe family member interactions

• Evaluate environmental risk factors

• Consider access to victims and vulnerable individuals

• Review safety plans

• “Check in” with parents/caregivers and others about all spheres of youth’s life

• School and homework

• Peers

• Compliance with curfew

• Recreation and leisure

• Behavior

Section 5 27

Working with the Schools

• Policy-driven approach

• Specialized training

• Inclusion of school personnel as community support network members

• Individualized school management plans

Section 5 28

Benefits of Specialized Caseloads

• Youth supervised by experienced and knowledgeable officers

• Consistent and informed policies, procedures, and practices

• Tend to be smaller

• Positive working relationships between officers and treatment providers

• Increased officer knowledge about local programs and resources

Section 5 29

• Can cause problems or burdens for others (e.g., larger general caseloads)

• Not always practical

• Risk of burnout and secondary trauma

• Difficulties identifying willing and competent staff

Challenges of Specialized Caseloads

Section 5 30

Resources

• Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (ATSA)• www.atsa.com

• National Adolescent Perpetrators Network (NAPN)

• Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)• www.ojjdp.ncjrs.gov

• National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ)• www.ncjfcj.org

• Center for Sex Offender Management (CSOM)• www.csom.org

• National Center on Sexual Behavior of Youth (NCSBY)• www.ncsby.org

Section 5 31

Use of the Polygraph in Supervision

• Recognize limitations and controversies

• Limit to stable youth over the age of 14

• Informed consent

• Not a “silver bullet”

Section 5 32

Factors to Consider when Responding to Violations

• Seriousness of the behavior

• Risk level

• Degree to which community safety was jeopardized

• Whether the juvenile disclosed his behavior

Section 5 33

Factors to Consider (Continued) • How much responsibility the youth is

taking

• Family considerations• Level of awareness• Willingness to support

• Presence of assets and services in the community

Section 5 34

Responding to Violations • Taking steps to prevent them is more

effective than responding after the fact

• Individualization is critical

• The more options the better

• Intermediate sanctions should become progressively more severe for ongoing non-compliance

Section 5 35

Responding to Violations (Continued)

• Don’t ignore problems

• Get to the bottom of a violation before responding

• Ensure that juveniles are aware of the consequences

• Empower officers to take immediate and appropriate action

• Written guidelines can be helpful

• Collaboration is key

Summary

Section 5 37

Key Points • Success as means of public safety

• Comprehensive, individualized, and fluid supervision plans

• Specialized strategies

• Multidisciplinary collaboration