ABSTRACT
In March 2012, convicted sex offender Clarence Opheim became the first person to be provisionally discharged from civil commitment under the Minnesota Sex Offender Program (MSOP) in almost a decade. This chapter argues that the generalized characterizations contribute to an Othering of sex offenders in public discourse, people understand the processes of Othering to function more broadly, certainly a useful perspective for rhetorical and professional communication scholars and activists. It explains how such rhetorical exchanges can result in the idea of sex offenders becoming associated with collective perceptions about recidivism rates, amenability to treatment, or threats to public safety, for example. The public's fear is reinforced by media portrayals of sex offenders, which has the effect of shaping the common ground or consubstantiality that contributes to the production of Othering. One noted outcome of the public's fear of sex offenders is the hindrance of public education and awareness and the subsequent Othering of controversial population.
