Abstract
Public sentiment toward sex offenders is that of hatred, contempt, and fear. These attitudes have led to the creation of sex offender legislation that is exceptionally restrictive and punitive. While best practices and current treatment models call for minimization of risk and maximization of personal fulfillment in order to reduce recidivism, sex offender laws pose as obstacles to these goals. A review of the risk-need-responsivity (RNR) principles and the Good Lives Model (GLM) treatment approach highlights the contrast between intended outcomes of these methods and the challenges that sex offender notification and registration (SORN) and residency restrictions present when trying to achieve them. Strategies for support and advocacy are presented for counselors who work with the sex offender population.
Date of Award
Fall 12-1-2020
Document Type
Capstone Paper
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Counselor Education
First Advisor
Dr. Mary Fawcett
Recommended Citation
Onderak, Gail, "Current Sex Offender Laws: Are They Doing More Harm Than Good?" (2020). Counselor Education Capstones. 130.
https://openriver.winona.edu/counseloreducationcapstones/130
