ABSTRACT
The dilemma of how to successfully manage persons who have sexually offended within communities has been a subject of great debate and emotion. Perspectives on how to address this dilemma vary significantly, depending on which stakeholder group is canvassed. It is our belief that the role community members may themselves play in helping stabilize released individuals has been under-examined. This chapter analyses the dominant intervention framework in sexual violence prevention—the “risk/need/responsivity” model—and argues that optimal consideration of the responsivity principle must include involvement of community members. Using the Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA) model as an example of communities as responsive regulators, we explain the ways in which ordinary citizens can contribute to public safety by integrating and supporting persons who have sexually offended upon release from prison or other secure settings.
