A SENTENCING ALTERNATIVE FOR SEX OFFENDERS - A STUDY OF DECISION-MAKING AND RECIDIVISM

Society has been uncertain about how best to respond to sex offenders. One policy option is a community supervision and treatment alternativ e such as the Special Sex Offender Sentencing Alternative (SSOSA) enac ted in Washington State in 1984. This study examines variables associa ted with the sentencing decision and compares recidivism rates of offe nders granted the alternative and those who received the standard puni shment (N = 646 convicted adult sex offenders). It also reports the re sults of a survey of key professionals regarding the sentencing altern ative. Recidivism rates of the two groups were equivalent for sex offe nses while recidivism rates for other crimes were significantly higher among offenders who did not receive the sentencing alternative. Overa ll, the results provide support for the availability of a sentencing a lternative for certain sex offenders.