Implementing Effective, Victim-Centered Practices and Policies Regarding Sexual Offending
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Though well-intentioned, policies and practices regarding sexual offending that are advocated by lawmakers and their constituents all too often result in efforts that are counterproductive for the long-term safety of the community. Just as problematically, they fail to adequately take into account the needs of the victims of abuse and do not adequately promote actions that can help individuals who have abused avoid re-offending.
This workshop first briefly reviews the history and origins of sexual offender management and treatment. It next reconsiders current interventions through the lens of holistic harm prevention, including community safety, victim empowerment and healing, and support for offender rehabilitation. The workshop further considers the potentially harmful effects of poorly implemented practices and policies.
Participants have the opportunity to:
- Examine their own perspectives on sexual offender management and treatment
- Evaluate controversial interventions from a harm-prevention standpoint, including:
- Sexual offender registration and notification
- Polygraph examinations
- Civil commitment
- Person-first Language
During the training, presenter Chris Lobanov-Rostovsky discusses:
- Historical context of sex offender management
- How sex offender management policy and practice is enacted
- What works regarding sexual offending
- Limitations by not considering protective factors and victim impact
- Harm prevention approach
- Intersection of offenders, victims, and community
- Victim centeredness
- Recommendations
1) Explain the reasons why certain sexual offender management practices and policies have become popular with community members and lawmakers.
2) Describe the ways in which current sex offender management practices may not be victim centered or may not support victim interests.
3) Analyze the unintended, and intended, impacts of sexual offender management and treatment practices that may undermine sexual offender rehabilitation.
4) Consider sexual offender management policy and practice with regard to the interests of offender rehabilitation, victim centeredness, and community safety.
5) Explain the benefits and costs of current sexual offender management policy and practice from the perspectives of the community and policymakers, those who offend, and those who are victimized.
6) Describe controversial harm prevention-based sexual offender management policies and practices and identify recommendations for practice and policy change.
Audience
This training is primarily for professionals involved in the management and treatment of individuals who have sexually offended. This includes treatment providers, supervision officers, caseworkers, and law enforcement personnel.
Content Level
Disclosure
Continuing Education Approval
American Psychological Association (APA)
Safer Society Foundation, Inc. is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Safer Society Foundation, Inc. maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Who's Presenting
Christopher Lobanov-Rostovsky
Christopher Lobanov-Rostovsky was appointed as the deputy director of the Division of Criminal Justice in August 2024. From 2006 until August 2024, he served as the Program Manager for the Office of Domestic Violence and Sex Offender Management, overseeing the work of both the Sex Offender Management Board and Domestic Violence Offender Management Board within the Colorado Department of Public Safety. In this capacity, he was responsible for developing sex offense treatment and supervision standards, approving treatment providers, and providing legislative and policy input.
Mr. Lobanov-Rostovsky also serves as a Native American tribal training and technical assistance associate for the National Criminal Justice Training Center (NCJTC) at Fox Valley Technical College, a role he has held since 2009. Through this work, he has trained tribal professionals on sex offender management, treatment, and substance use interventions, and has provided technical assistance for program development and evaluation.
He holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan and has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) since 1990. Mr. Lobanov-Rostovsky has provided training and technical assistance for a variety of federal, state, tribal, and private agencies to develop and enhance policies and practices. He was the co-project consultant lead for the U.S. SMART Office’s Sex Offender Management Assessment and Planning Initiative (SOMAPI) and has published numerous journal articles and book chapters related to sex offender management public policy. He is the recipient of the 2015 National Adolescent Perpetration Network Advocacy Award for his work promoting evidence-based policies and legislation. Earlier in his career, he worked as a clinician and approved treatment provider and evaluator for both adult and juvenile populations involved in the criminal justice system, including clients who were perpetrators or victims of sexual crimes.