Overview of Sex Offender Supervision

Course Code: REL-PS-0-OSOS

Hours: 2.5

Type: Online Course

Content Expiration Date: 12/31/2024

Learning Objectives:
Describe the heterogenous nature of sex offenders.
Identify 6 decisions that need to be made when supervising sex offenders.
Describe more than 20 types of information that should be collected from assessment tools and investigative procedures to guide the decision-making process.
List 11 special conditions of supervision that should be considered for sex offenders and common tools community supervision officers use to monitor accountability.
Describe 4 common barriers for sex offenders during reentry and strategies to ease the transition.

Outline:
Section 1: Introduction

About This Course

Learning Objectives

Section 2: Making Data-Informed Decisions

Sex Offenders—A Heterogeneous Group

Managing Variability in Sex Offender Population

What Decisions Need to be Made?

Review

Summary

Section 3: Information Gathering and Assessment

Challenges Assessing Sex Offenders

Information from Actuarial Assessment Tools

Information from Specialized Assessment Tools

It Starts at the Presentence Phase

Information to Collect at the Presentence Phase

Re-assessment and Ongoing Case Management

When to Re-Assess

Review

Summary

Section 4: Supervision Strategies

Supervision Challenges

Initial Case Planning

Meet Renee

Specialized Conditions of Supervision

Sex Offender Supervision and Employment

Knowledge Check

Open Communication

Communication and Deception

Offender Boundaries and Violations

Continuum of Response

Tools for Monitoring Accountability

Sex Offender Registration as a Tool for Supervision and Enforcement

Sex Offender-Specific Treatment

Treatment as a Supervision Tool

Review

Summary

Section 6: Re-entry

Re-entry

Barriers for Sex Offenders During Re-entry

Easing the Transition During Re-entry

Victim Safety

Establish Rapport

Transition for Treatment

Review

Summary

Section 7: Conclusion

Summary

Course Contributors

References

Congratulations!

Writer: Kimberly Cobb, MS

Mrs. Cobb is a Lead SME Writer/Trainer at Relias. Her primary writing responsibilities are in the content areas of public safety and behavioral health. Mrs. Cobb is also the onboarding trainer for new staff joining the Relias Content Department. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Correctional and Juvenile Justice Studies and a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice. She has over 25 years of experience working in criminal and juvenile justice. Her work includes direct service, research, publication development, and training and technical assistance development and delivery.

Subject Matter Expert: Kirsten Lewis, M.Ed.

Kirsten R. Lewis, M.Ed., is a probation officer with the Maricopa County Adult Probation Department (MCAPD); adjunct forensic psychology instructor at Glendale Community College; and president of KSL Research, Training & Consultation, LLC. Kirsten's adult probation experience includes assignments in standard field, domestic violence, high-risk, and most currently a sex offender caseload. In addition, Kirsten has been a pre-sentence investigation officer, acting supervisor, and staff development trainer. With a background in research and over 26 years of experience in community corrections, Kirsten spearheaded a ground-breaking research study examining secondary traumatic stress in probation officers as a result of working with criminal offenders. Her research was published in the American Journal of Criminal Justice and received the 2013 Sam Houston State University Award for outstanding contributions to scholarship in Community Corrections. In addition, Kirsten created a national award-winning employee stress management program at MCAPD that better prepares employees for the challenges of probation work, enhances protective coping strategies, minimizes the cumulative stress associated with longevity, and promotes a work culture that safeguards the welfare of officers. Kirsten conducts a variety of trainings on the topic of traumatic stress, peer support, and employee wellness with human service agencies around the country and has presented her work at conferences throughout the United States and abroad. 

Target Audience:
The target audience for this course is: Correctional Officers; Probation/Parole Officers; in the following settings: Adult Community Supervision Agencies, Adult Corrections.

Relias Learning will be transparent in disclosing if any commercial support, sponsorship or co-providership is present prior to the learner completing the course.

Relias Learning has a grievance policy in place to facilitate reports of dissatisfaction. Relias Learning will make every effort to resolve each grievance in a mutually satisfactory manner. In order to report a complaint or grievance please contact Relias Learning at support@reliaslearning.com.

Course Delivery Method and Format
Asynchronous Distance Learning with interactivity which includes quizzes with questions/answers, and posttests.