Sex crime : sex offending and society . Terry Thomas

Following an introductory chapter that discusses the similar and diverse characteristics of sex offenses, chapter 2 reviews the explanations and responses of the public, the media, politicians, and "experts" regarding sex crimes and how to deal with them. Chapter 3 presents a history of sex offending, with attention to themes and responses in the past that persist into the present. Chapter 4 profiles the current role of the police as the primary agency that investigates sex offenses and identifies those responsible. Chapter 5 describes the prosecution of those charged with sex offenses and the decision about appropriate sentences for those convicted of various types of sex offenses. Chapter 6 addresses how the correctional agencies responsible for implementing these sentences perform their work. Chapter 7 considers protection in the home for children and victims of domestic violence. It includes an overview of child prostitution as a form of child abuse. Chapter 8 considers protection against sexual abuse in care settings, with attention to new developments in pre-employment screening through the Criminal Records Bureau, which came online in 2002 under the Police Act 1997 Part V. Chapter 9 examines the extension of civil law in an attempt to provide more widespread protection against sexual victimization through sex offender registration as well as other measures to constrain chronic sex offenders. The book concludes with speculation about future directions for dealing with sex crimes and sex offenders, with a focus on the role of "personal information," risk assessment, and risk management. 443 references and a subject index