[WiLT] Managing high-risk sex offenders in the community & Sexual offences and criminal justice: challenging myths, supporting victims

[WiL Admin]

Managing high-risk sex offenders in the community.
8 September 2008

Sex offenders, and in particular paedophiles, are amongst those
offenders who are not only reviled but also feared by the public.
Whilst the government has provided the courts with the ability to
detain offenders for longer periods of time in custody, including that
of life; this does not address the question regarding how such
high-risk sexual predators can be effectively monitored and managed
when they are eventually released into the community. This conference
seeks to evaluate the measures used, and being considered for use, in
the treatment and risk management of sex offenders and questions
whether such high-risk offenders can be effectively managed within the
community.

Why attend?
. Discussion of original empirical research findings
. Exploration of current measures including MAPPA, treatment
programmes, registration requirements and community notification
. Examination of new technology and ideas, including human rights
implications

Who should attend?
. Probation officers, prison officers, police officers, psychologists,
psychotherapists, lawyers, judges, prosecutors, educators, voluntary
sector workers, academics.

Conference Programme
09.00-09.45 Registration
09.45-10.00 Introduction Dr. Karen Harrison
10.00-11.00 'Working with Sex Offenders - a Strategy for Probation and
Prisons' Mark Farmer
11.00-12.30 Break out sessions
. 'The Sex Offender Register, Community Notification and some
reflections on Privacy' Professor Terry Thomas
. 'An Introduction to Sex Offender Treatment Programmes and their Risk
Reduction Efficacy' Dr. Sarah Brown
. 'High Risk Offenders, Public Protection and MAPPA: Lessons from
Research' Jason Wood
12.30-13.30 Lunch
13.30-15.00 Break out sessions
. 'Using Satellite Tracking to Monitor High Risk Sex Offenders in the
Community' Professor Stephen Shute
. 'Dignity and Dangerousness: Sex offenders and the community - human
rights in the balance?' Dr. Bernadette Rainey
. 'Castrating the problem: the use of drug treatment with high-risk
sex offenders' Dr. Karen Harrison
15.00-15.20 Tea/Coffee Break
15.20-15.55 Panel round up
15.55-16.00 Conclusion Dr. Karen Harrison


Sexual offences and criminal justice: challenging myths, supporting
victims
9 September 2008

Over the last thirty years there has been significant reform of the
law relating to sexual offences. In addition, the police service and
other criminal justice agencies have sought to improve the treatment
of complainants. Yet significant problems remain. The conviction rate
in cases of rape is falling and attempts to improve agency responses
to sexual offences have had mixed results. One of the main reasons for
the disappointing impact of law reform and other changes has been the
adverse influence of myths and negative social attitudes on law
enforcement. This conference seeks to examine the nature and effect of
such attitudes and consider various strategies that might be used to
successfully challenge the impact of myths and stereotypes on the
enforcement of the criminal law.

Why attend?
. Examination of the influence of rape myths in wider society and the
criminal justice process, along with strategies to counteract their
impact on law enforcement
. Discussion of original empirical research findings
. Examination of attitudes to female, male and child sexual
victimisation

Who should attend?
. Police officers, social workers, lawyers, judges, prosecutors,
educators, psychologists, rape crisis workers, voluntary sector
workers, academics.

Conference Programme
09.00-09.45 Registration
09.45-10.00 Introduction Phil Rumney
10.00-11.00 'The problem of attitude in rape trials' Professor
Jennifer Temkin
11.00-11.45 'Judicial perceptions of the child complainant in sexual
offences' Professor Fiona Raitt
11.45-12.30 'A comparative analysis of SOIT officers' and survivors'
experiences of the service provided to male and female rape victims'
Joanna Jamel
12.30-13.30 Lunch
13.30-14.15 'The School Project: Assessing and challenging the
perceptions of rape held by secondary school children' Carol Withey
14.15-15.00 'Assessing the impact of educational evidence on
credibility in rape cases: A mock jury study' Professor Vanessa Munro
and Louise Ellison
15.00-15.20 Tea/Coffee Break
15.20-16.00 'Attitudes, rape and law reform: A South African
perspective' Professor Charnelle van der Bijl and Phil Rumney
16.00-16.10 Conclusion Phil Rumney

Conference fee

Fee to attend one conference
. Full delegate rate: £105
. Reduced delegate rate: £70 (voluntary sector/unwaged/student)

Fee to attend both conferences
. Full delegate rate: £170
. Reduced delegate rate: £120 (voluntary sector/unwaged/student)

Solicitors Regulation Authority and Bar Standards Board accredited.
. 5 hours CPD for each conference.

Booking

Completed booking forms with remittance, should be sent to:
Ms Claire Ebdon
School of Law
University of the West of England
Frenchay Campus
Coldharbour Lane
Bristol
BS16 1QY

Any queries should be addressed to Mr Phil Rumney or Dr Karen Harrison
at the address above, or via the following contact details:
E-mail: phil.rumney at uwe.ac.uk
Tel: 0117 3282326
Fax: 0117 3282268
E-Mail: karen.harrison at uwe.ac.uk
Tel: 0117 3282095
Fax: 0117 3282268

http://bls.uwe.ac.uk/events/index.cfm

For more information please access the PDF brochure.
http://bls.uwe.ac.uk/events/Sex_offenders.pdf