Part VI.

Public Education and Acceptance

In addition to those recommendations that clearly fell into the training and technical assistance categories and the information development and dissemination categories, there were several additional recommendations that surfaced repeatedly across working groups.

Establishment of a Resource Center

A number of groups called for the establishment of a repository of information on sex offenders including best management practices, treatment strategies, collaboration, research and so on, to provide information on the best thinking and most current knowledge in the field. Variously called a "clearing house," a "living inventory," or a "place people can go to get more information," the key theme was for a complete, up-to-date, synthesized repository of information that is easy to access. (Several groups recommended the Internet as a sensible medium.) At least three of the working groups recommended this specifically and one group identified it as their highest recommendation.

Development of Public Education Campaigns

At least three of the ten working groups offered recommendations focused on public education efforts. The following specific recommendations were offered:

• Develop a public education campaign to better inform the public about the sex offender and dispel pervasive myths about this population.
• Develop specific and individualized education "campaigns" for the following targeted audiences: legislators, media, victims, and practitioners. These education efforts should be designed to educate individual audiences on basic information about sex offenders (who they are, who their victims are, how the system responds to them, etc.) and on promising practices in the field.
• Recognizing that victims and victims groups are powerful forces in the establishment of a communities' approach to sex offender management, provide education to victims groups on effective lobbying.

Working groups suggested using print, audio, video, video conference and the Internet to disseminate these educational materials and messages.

Articulation of Victims Rights

Two working groups recommended that the Office of Justice Programs take a leadership role in developing a "Victim's Bill of Rights," articulating what victims should expect from the criminal justice system -- (e.g., rights to be heard, privacy, notice, attendance, confrontation, restitution, counseling, etc.) and to promote a common understanding of those rights nationally.

National Oversight

Several working groups recommended that the Office of Justice Programs convene a group of "best thinkers" to monitor, guide and facilitate the spread of knowledge and experience throughout the nation on this topic. The National Summit served as the first event of its kind: the bringing together of the myriad of individuals, agencies and constituencies critical to the effective management of this unique population in our communities. Participants spoke to the need for a continuation of this exchange through both training and documentation efforts, and suggested that this be accomplished under the oversight of a national task force or "think tank."