A Community-Based Approach to the Reduction of Sexual Reoffending: Circles of Support and Accountability

A Circle of Support and Accountability is a group of trained volunteers who meet on a regular basis with a high risk sex offender living in their community. This pioneering approach, based on restorative justice principles, holds the offender accountable and provides them with care and support to prevent reoffending. This is the first book on this innovative and proven method of managing the behaviour of sex offenders in the community. It provides an overview of sexual abuse, sex offenders and their management, and the Circles approach. The authors set out the development of Circles since they were first started in Canada, the principles of Circles and how they work in practice, and evidence and evaluation of their effectiveness. Testimonies from five sex offenders and four volunteers are included, detailing how and why they joined a Circle, their experiences, and the effects. This unique book on a ground-breaking approach to managing sex offenders will be of great interest to professionals across social care and the criminal justice system, including prison and probation services, the police, social workers, counsellors and all those working with sex offenders.

Chris Wilson is National Development Manager of Circles UK. He was instrumental in adapting the Canadian Circles model to a British context, and is also a qualified social worker. Circles UK won the Social Care and Welfare category at the Charity Awards 2011.

Stephen Hanvey is Chief Executive of Circles UK, the national body supporting the development, quality, coordination and effectiveness of local Circles. He is also a qualified social worker.