Appraisal and management of risk in sexual aggressors: Implications for criminal justice policy

The authors review the literature on the psychology of sex offenders, varia bles associated with recidivism, actuarial methods to predict recidivism, a nd treatment. Sexual deviance measured phallometrically can discriminate, w ith high accuracy, between sex offenders and other men. Sex offenders remai n at risk for a long time after release, and combinations of variables sele cted for their cumulative: efficiency in predicting recidivism have been de veloped and validated. The ability of any interventions to effect reduction s in recidivism is unknown. Methodologically sound evaluations of all inter vention (therapy, drugs, community notification, registration, and supervis ion) should have high priority. Finally, application of the available data can increase the likelihood that new legislation intended to reduce the ris k represented by sexual predators will have its intended results.