Challenges of implementing evidence-based practices in sex offender management

Ilona Laurinaitytė

It is widely acknowledged that sexual offences, especially against children, is a major societal concern. Therefore, in many Western countries, there has been a growing awareness of the importance of effective risk assessment and management of people convicted of sexual offending. More recently, extensive research has been done in that regard with promising results; however, it also presents a more complicated picture for the practice in dealing with this special population.

In Lithuania, as well as in Latvia and Estonia, risk assessment and management of reoffending is a relatively new practice. This talk will provide an overview of existing developments concerning the policy, administration, clinical practice, and research of sexual offenders in Baltic countries. Finally, future directions on implementing evidence-based practices will be discussed.

Ilona Laurinaitytė is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Vilnius University. Her particular research interests are centred on understanding of the nature, causes, and management of violence as well as on mental health problems amongst people in the criminal justice system. She is also collaborating with governmental and non-governmental organizations on the topic of treatment and programs for social reintegration of offenders. As a researcher, she participated in several international and national research projects. She was involved in adaptation process of several risk assessment tools in Lithuania (i.e., HCR-20, SVR-20, and PCL: SV). Since 2013 till 2017 she was the first representative of Lithuania and MC member in the COST Action IS1302 “Towards an EU research framework on forensic psychiatric care”.