The Need For Victim-Centered Practices and Policies Regarding Sexual Offending
This webinar is for professionals, policymakers, and individuals involved in addressing sexual offending and promoting community safety.
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 webinar reconsiders current interventions through the lens of holistic harm prevention, including:
- community safety
- victim empowerment and healing
- support for rehabilitating those who offend
The workshop further considers the potentially harmful effects of poorly implemented practices and policies.
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.