429 – Clinical/Legal Divides in the Assessment and Treatment of Sex Offenders: American, Canadian & European Comparisons

Abstract

Introduction:

A wide divide exists between punitive versus treatment perspectives regarding the treatment of sex offenses, notably paraphilias, within Western societies with the United States leading the punitive perspective and Europe the clinical treatment focus of this continuum. Indeed, despite new inroads in treatment protocols, convicted sex offenders in the U.S. are given a life-sentence of social/legal stigma, a fate not even assigned to convicted murderers.

Objectives:

To review the legal actions of various governments against the current state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment protocols for treating paraphilia - based on the Depo-Lupron, Triptorelin model.

Method:

Analyze the U.S., Canadian, and European systems relevant to the Exclusion-Inclusion Spectrum regarding sex offenders where EU nations focus on treatment and inclusion back into society while the USA demonizes and excluded paraphilias.

Results:

In the USA, the action of conservative groups has resulted in compulsory sex offender registration, community notification, and civil commitment beyond the completion of criminal sentences, regardless of the effectiveness of clinical treatment. In 2007, Human Rights Watch called for an end to the registration of juveniles, residency restrictions, and the availability of online registration list that is the foundation of the USA model. In contrast, Canada sex offenses are handled at the federal level. In December 2004, Canada passed its Sex Offender Information Registration Act where their registry is accessible only to Canadian law enforcement and is maintained by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It is unlawful for citizens to access the sex offender database or to distribute this data.