Study: Exploring the expectations of people convicted of sexual offences, regarding their release from medium and long-term custodial sentences

The task of reintegration for people convicted of sexual offences (PCOSOs) is even more challenging, in part due to the media presentation of such individuals as a homogeneous group comprised of people who will inevitably reoffend (Hanson et al., 2018). For example, a public survey in Florida found that residents predicted general sexual recidivism rates to be around 75% (Levenson et al., 2007). Despite media presentation and public belief, the reality is that most individuals with sexual offences are at low risk of reoffending (Bailey & Sample, 2017). While there is no denying the tremendous harm caused by sexual offending, UK recidivism data suggest that 87%–90% of men with sexual convictions will not commit another sexual offence (Mews et al., 2017), and those who do reoffend will most likely do so within the first five years of release (Hanson et al., 2018). It has been suggested that for those who do reoffend, challenges with reintegration into the community could be a contributing factor (Winder, 2022).

Will there ever be a stage in anybody s life

Rosanna Perkins & Belinda Winder (31 Jul 2025): ‘Will there ever be a stage
in anybody’s life where they’re not thinking about what I did?’: exploring the expectations of
people convicted of sexual offences, regarding their release from medium and long-term
custodial sentences, Psychology, Crime & Law, DOI: 10.1080/1068316X.2025.2538133