Sex offenders who are releasing from confinement with required
Department of Corrections (DOC) supervision may be supervised in the
community under strict rules designed to protect their victims,
vulnerable people, the general public and the offender.
In addition to requiring sex offender registration, the courts, and
the DOC can impose many conditions and requirements for the period of
DOC supervision. Offenders may be required to report to a Community
Corrections Officer (CCO) whose primary responsibility is to help
offenders become law abiding citizens while holding the offenders
accountable.
Supervision:
Offenders must report to their CCO and be available for contact as
directed and often must remain within specified geographic boundaries.
Registration:
Sex and kidnapping offenders who are required by law to register
must do so prior to leaving state, county or city confinement. They must
follow up by registering in person within 24 hours of their release at
their county sheriff’s office.
Living arrangements:
Community corrections officers must approve sex offenders’residence
and living arrangements. Offenders cannot move without permission.
Generally, the release address of sex offenders is scrutinized to assess
potential risk to the community and for the offender. Sex offenders
often cannot own or control personal computers. If community corrections
officers permit access to computers, they normally must have blocks
that prevent access to specific sites. Offenders also cannot have
contact with magazines, videos, telephone sites or anything else with
pornographic content. Offenders must allow their community corrections
officers to inspect every part of their homes.
Treatment:
Many offenders must obtain psycho-sexual evaluations and treatment
from state-certified sexual deviancy counselors. Those who are required
to do so must authorize their CCO to monitor their progress in
treatment. Typically, offenders are not permitted to change counselors
without approval and they must submit to polygraph and plethysmograph
(which measure sexual arousal) testing at their own expense at the
direction of their therapist or CCO.
Alcohol and drugs:
Offenders cannot purchase, possess or consume any mind or mood
altering substances, including alcohol or drugs that haven’t been
prescribed by doctors. They may have to undergo chemical dependency
treatment and follow prescribed treatment, which may include Alcoholics
Anonymous or other recovery meetings. Offenders are required to submit
to urine and/or breathalyzer tests to monitor compliance. They also must
submit to DNA and HIV testing.
Contact with past and potential victims:
Often offenders cannot have any contact, even by mail or through
third parties, with past victims or victims’ families. The court may or
may not allow an offender to have contact with certain members of his or
her own family including his or her own children. Any contact with
minors that is permitted by the court is monitored and managed by the
CCO while the offender is under supervision.
Relationships:
Offenders must disclose information about their conviction(s) to
potential adult sexual partners before beginning sexual relationships.
They also must inform their CCO of romantic relationships so they can
ensure no potential child victims are accessible. Some offenders may be
required by their CCO to disclose their criminal history to their
families and friends.
Entertainment:
Offenders cannot patronize any establishment in the sex industry,
including topless dancing clubs, sex toy outlets or houses of
prostitution.
Employment:
Education, work and community service are encouraged but with review
and management of any potential risk. Offenders must have safety plans
to avoid reoffending.
Weapons:
Felony offenders may not own, use or possess firearms or ammunition.
Financial obligations:
Offenders may be required to pay restitution, supervision, child support and all other financial obligations
