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As interest and concern over sex offenders has increased, so have efforts to control the extent to which they reoffend. As a result, the State of Minnesota has enforced civil commitment statutes, created a sex offender registry, implemented community notification, enhanced the penalties for sex offenders, and increased both the intensity and length of post-release supervision. In examining recidivism among 3,166 sex offenders released from a Minnesota Correctional Facility (MCF) between 1990 and 2002, this report addresses the following question: What are the factors associated with sex offender recidivism?

In April 2007, the Minnesota Department of Corrections1 (DOC) published results of a study on 3,166 sex offenders who were released from the state's correctional facilities between 1990 and 2003. Recidivism measures included new arrests, new convictions, and incarceration for new offenses that occurred in Minnesota. This report draws upon the data collected by the DOC, but focuses solely on the sexual recidivism rates2 of the 970 adult sex offenders who were placed under Hennepin County's supervision when released from prison between 1990 and 2003. It is important to bear in mind that during the study's lengthy follow-up period significant changes occurred in how the criminal justice system manages sex offenders. Beginning in the late 1980's, public outcry resulting from high profile sex crimes prompted the enactment of stricter laws and tighter supervision guidelines. For example, risk levels (Level 3, 2, or 1) were not assigned to sex offenders until 1997.

Title: THE IMPACT OF PRISON-BASED TREATMENT ON SEX OFFENDER ... Excerpt: THE IMPACT OF PRISON-BASED TREATMENT ON SEX OFFENDER RECIDIVISM: EVIDENCE FROM MINNESOTA 1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 200 St. Paul, Minnesota 55108-5219

In the early 1990s, the Minnesota legislature enacted the predatory offender registration (POR) law, which requires offenders who meet the statutory criteria to register their residences, places of employment, schools, and any vehicles owned or operated by registrants with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Since its creation nearly 20 years ago, the law has been amended several times to broaden its scope and increase the penalties for registration noncompliance. These changes to the POR law have led to a greater number of sex offenders convicted for failure to register (FTR), which has in turn resulted in more offenders coming to prison for FTR offenses. In fact, FTR is now the most common reincarceration offense for sex offenders released from prison.

Original Article07/18/2013By Karen Franklin, Ph.D.Other new research finds further flaws with actuarial methods in forensic practice At least three out of every four men being indefinitely detained as Sexually Violent Predators in Minnesota woul...

In 1994, prisons in 15 States released 9,691 male sex offenders. The 9,691 men are two-thirds of all the male sex offenders released from State prisons in the United States in 1994. This report summarizes findings from a survey that tracked the 9,691 for 3 full years after their release. The report documents their "recidivism," as measured by rates of rearrest, reconviction, and reimprisonment during the 3-year followup period. This report gives recidivism rates for the 9,691 combined total. It also separates the 9,691 into four overlapping categories and gives recidivism rates for each category: - 3,115 released rapists - 6,576 released sexual assaulters - 4,295 released child molesters - 443 released statutory rapists. The 9,691 sex offenders were released from State prisons in these 15 States: Arizona, Maryland, North Carolina, California, Michigan, Ohio, Delaware, Minnesota, Oregon, Florida, New Jersey, Texas, Illinois, New York, and Virginia.