ABSTRACT
This chapter provides interview of 30 Core Members from across England and Wale, and a unique sample that stands apart from those UK studies that have undertaken research with sex offenders in custodial settings or in online communities. Twenty-one of the Core Members had committed contact offences such as rape, sexual assault. A further nine committed non-contact offences such as indecent exposure, internet offences and possessing images of child sexual abuse. The chapter considers the expectations held by Core Members on what Circles might be like, how Core Members thought their participation in a Circle might be able to help them, and how they experienced the actual meetings of the Circle. Given the two key concepts at the heart of CoSA - support and accountability - Core Members were encouraged to discuss their understandings of these terms and where they have experienced these two elements in their Circle.
