U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Key Considerations for Reunifying Adult Sex Offenders and Their Families

NCJ Number
213610
Author(s)
Leilah Gilligan; Kurt Bumby Ph.D.
Date Published
December 2005
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This paper presents an overview of the dynamics and key issues involved in the management of the reunification of an adult sex offender with his/her family in a case in which the victim is a family member.
Abstract
The management of such a case should include specialized supervision, offense-specific treatment, and the involvement of victim advocates and treatment providers. The case-management goal should be victim safety and emotional well-being. The decision about whether the offender should reside in the home with the victims involves complex issues and challenges; therefore, reunification should always be a gradual and deliberate process. Appropriate treatment for the victims, other family members, and offenders about issues and feelings that may arise are prerequisites. Counseling should address the progressive goals and levels of readiness for all parties for reunification. In addition, ongoing and closely supervised contacts between the offender, victim, and other family members are critical during the process. Case managers must be prepared to modify reunification plans and strategies based on current offender risk assessments as well as the needs of the victim and other family members. Regular collaboration among all the parties responsible for sex-offender management is essential for effective reunification efforts. Issues that must be addressed are the desire of all the parties involved to have reunification and the potential for the victim to withhold or recant disclosures of abuse after reunification. This paper discusses signs that the various parties (offender, nonoffending parent, victim, and additional family members) are ready for reunification, outlines common stages in a gradual reunification process, and indicates how to respond when a reunification effort is unsuccessful. One promising approach to reunification is described.