Circles South East: the first 10 years 2002-2012

Area of Science:

• Criminology
• Forensic Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Circles of Support and Accountability (Circles) is a community-based program designed to manage sexual offenders.
• Implementation in South-East England by Circles South East (CSE) spanned the first decade.
• Effective management of sexual offenders is crucial for public safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Circles program in reducing recidivism among sexual offenders.
• To compare reconviction rates between individuals participating in Circles and a matched comparison group.
• To assess the program's impact over a 10-year implementation period.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 71 core Circles members and 71 matched comparison subjects were analyzed.
• Data included demographics, offense history, risk assessments, and Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements.
• Follow-up included all forms of reconviction, breach of orders, and prison recall over 55 months.

Main Results:

• The comparison group exhibited a significantly higher incidence of violent and contact sexual reconviction.
• The Circles cohort demonstrated a lower-than-expected rate of sexual reconviction, though not statistically significant.
• The program appears to contribute to lower recidivism rates for sexual offenders.

Conclusions:

• Circles of Support and Accountability demonstrates a positive impact on reducing sexual offender recidivism.
• The program is a valuable tool in the multi-agency management of sexual offenders.
• Further research should explore statistical significance and long-term outcomes.