Sex offenders, particularly those who offend against children, feature prominently in contemporary law and order debates. Child sexual abuse is a component of the broader category of 'gendered and sexualized violence' which causes significant trauma for victims yet continues to evade conventional approaches to justice. This is evidenced not only by the low number of prosecutions, due mostly to low levels of reporting and evidential difficulties at trial, but also by the failure of the justice system to prevent re-offending, largely due to the limited availability and effectiveness of prison treatment programs. This book argues that contemporary, popular, and state-led responses to the risk posed by sex offenders are largely disintegrative in nature. At best, the offender may be labeled, stigmatized, and ostracized from the community, while at worst, he or she may be subjected to violence and vigilante action and ultimately return to offending behavior. The failure of these retributive responses means there is considerable scope for exploring alternative forms of justice and their potential for improving the outcome for victims, offenders, and communities affected by sexual offenses. Although restorative schemes with sex offenders are in short supply, a few initiatives have developed in Canada and parts of the US which have effected significant benefits in 'reintegrative shaming.' The Shaming of Sexual Offenders examines whether such ad hoc schemes may be of general application with child sexual abuse and whether they may be implemented on a more holistic basis.
Author(s): Anne-marie Mcalinden
Year: 2007
Language: English
Pages: 278
Half Title Page......Page 1
Title Page......Page 3
Title verso......Page 4
Acknowledgements......Page 7
Contents......Page 9
Part I: The Theoretical Context......Page 13
1. Introduction......Page 15
THE FAILURE OF FORMAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE......Page 16
MANAGING RISK: THE CASE FOR RESTORATIVE JUSTICE......Page 19
SEXUAL OFFENDING: DEFINITIONAL MATTERS......Page 22
RECURRENT THEMES......Page 24
STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK......Page 25
2. Retribution: The Political and Policy-making Context......Page 27
THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE......Page 28
THE CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVE......Page 30
CONCLUSION......Page 46
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE......Page 49
SHAMING......Page 54
RESETTLEMENT......Page 59
THE RELATIONSHIP WITH FORMAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE......Page 63
CONCLUSION......Page 69
Part II: The Reintegration......Page 71
THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM......Page 73
THE OFFENDER......Page 90
THE COMMUNITY......Page 102
CONCLUSION......Page 107
5. Sex Offenders Registration and Community Notification......Page 109
THE HISTORY OF REGISTRATION AND COMMUNITY NOTIFICATION......Page 110
THE MAIN PROVISIONS......Page 113
THE RATIONALE OF REGISTRATION AND NOTIFICATION: DETERRENCE AND PROTECTION......Page 119
THE COMPETING PERSPECTIVES OF THE VICTIM AND THE OFFENDER......Page 120
FROM RHETORIC TO REALITY......Page 128
CONCLUSION......Page 136
SHAME PENALTIES......Page 139
THE SEXUAL OFFENCES ACT 2003: NEW PREVENTIVE ORDERS......Page 143
ELECTRONIC TAGGING......Page 149
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN CONTROL IN THE COMMUNITY FAILS?......Page 156
CONCLUSION......Page 172
Part III: Towards a Restorative or Reintegrative Approach......Page 175
‘STOP IT NOW!’......Page 177
CIRCLES OF SUPPORT AND ACCOUNTABILITY......Page 180
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF REINTEGRATIVE JUSTICE......Page 189
FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE: IMPLEMENTING REINTEGRATIVE SHAMING PRACTICES......Page 196
CONCLUSION......Page 206
CONTEXTUALISING THE DEBATES......Page 209
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND CHILD SEXUAL OFFENCES......Page 212
SHAMING......Page 218
CONCLUSION......Page 225
RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE: THE FAILURE TO MANAGE RISK......Page 227
RETRIBUTION AND RESTORATION: BRIDGING THE GAP......Page 230
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE: THE EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF RISK......Page 232
Bibliography......Page 237
Index......Page 281
