Should Be Grounded, Realistic And Not Be Populist Or Punitive In Nature

June 2012

Professionals’ understanding of government strategies for the management of child sexual abusers

"This article discusses contemporary professional understandings of the UK Government’s attitudes to and policies around the management of child sexual abusers.

This study is based upon empirical qualitative research with a range of professionals' working in or around the area of child sexual abuse (practitioners, academics and members of the media) (n = 28). The research used semi-structured interviews which were interpreted through qualitative (thematic) content analysis.

Results indicate that the professionals sampled believe that the government misperceives child sexual abuse, focusing on risk reduction and public protection rather than treatment and reintegration. The participants also argued that although there are currently some good policies and intra-agency relationships around child sexual abuse in the UK, these could be built upon.

The majority of the participants were against the public disclosure of sex offender information, believing that it is not a realistic approach in reducing the sexual abuse of children and therefore it should not be implemented in the UK.

These findings suggest that current and future policy on child sexual abuse should be grounded, realistic and not be populist or punitive in nature."

Kieran McCartan UWE, Bristol
Probation Journal, June 2012, (59)2, p. 124-137

Nigel

Just How 'Progressive' Are You WIlling To Fight For?

Tuesday, 28 August 2012

Progressive Sexuality

"The ever-excellent Paul Bernal at UEA responds on his blog to a call for submissions to Labour Left’s ‘Red Book II’, by Dr Éoin Clarke, with a series of recommendations for any progressive party regarding digital policy. As I tweeted earlier, I agree with his suggestions (see here).

Although a Lib Dem member (who is debating renewing his membership) rather than a Labour-backer like Bernal, I thought the idea of setting out a series of progressive socio-legal policy objectives is a useful one, and one that I've found myself thinking about this morning in the context of sexuality."

http://lawandsexuality.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/progressive-sexuality.html

My comment to Chris:

"Abolish indecent image offences (particularly 'Making' (i.e. downloading) - POCA1978 and 'Possession' - CJA 1988), as being 'Sexual Offences'.

Keep them as an 'OPA'/'Extreme’-type offence*, if ***one must***, although even that is not desirable or necessary.

http://criticalestoppel.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/why-owning-indecent-images-of-children.html

At least be consistent.

'Taking' only to be 'Sexual', if decided to be, by a court, as for any other 'Sexual' activity, as defined in the Act.

Dr NL Oldfield"

*to go, in any case, in time.

Nigel