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Photo Of Kyle B. Sawyer

Charged With A Crime? It Doesn’t Mean You’re Guilty.

Sex Offender Treatment and Probation in Douglas County

On Behalf of | Feb 27, 2019 | Sex Offender Treatment |

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Being on Sex Offender Intensive Supervised Probation (SOISP) in Douglas County, Colorado is a lot to bear. Probation officers in this unit tend to be extremely strict and intrusive, as a potential mishap can make headlines. In addition, offenders serving their probation sentence are also likely in sex offender treatment overseen by the Sex Offender Management Board. This “reprogramming” is the government’s attempt at reintroducing sex offenders into society after conviction or a period of incarceration. In some cases, strict monitoring and treatment is necessary to prevent real predators from harming innocent people. But should those same rules and policies govern all offenders with a one-size-fits-all approach?

Probation for Sex Offenses in Douglas County, Colorado

SOISP. If you’re on it or know someone who is, you are fully aware that it doesn’t get much worse. For starters, upon release from jail or immediately following a sentence, a convicted sex offender is given a massive document listing all of the limitations involved with this type of probation. As you initial each item, the question changes from what can’t I do to what can I do? A few of those restrictions are listed below:

  • Curfew from 7pm – 5am
  • Random urinary analysis
  • Bi-monthly meetings with your probation officer during business hours
  • Prior approval for any and all movement away from your home
  • Monthly, unannounced home visits from your probation officer
  • No internet access (until approved by a PO and monitored by a service, paid for by the client)
  • No interaction with anyone who isn’t aware of your offense (3rd party disclosure)
  • Polygraphs (sex history 1, sex history 2, maintenance, and sometimes child contact assessment)

At the start of SOISP, offenders are essentially permitted to go to a grocery store, work, gas station, and the barber. If clients follow the strict rules closely, some probation officers allow more activities as time goes by and meet with clients less often. However, this isn’t the case in all situations and POs have all the power to do as they please.

Sex Offender Treatment in Douglas County, CO

Treatment is a requirement for most convicted sex offenders in Colorado. This is another process that is more costly and time consuming up front. Intake sessions and assessments are very expensive and require clients to disclose the majority of their life to a therapist or psychologist. Weekly group sessions (as much as $60 per session) are required of clients that can continue for months, if not years. Clients in treatment are required to complete a lengthy manual and present certain topics (Responsibility, Sexual History, Cycle, Relapse Prevention) to the group. Additionally, offenders are often required to meet with an individual therapist (as much as $100) for one-on-one monthly sessions.

Community Supervision Teams in Douglas County

Community Supervision Teams are the combination of an offender’s treatment provider and their probation officer. An offender’s treatment provider meets with their probation officer quarterly to discuss the client’s progress, risk factors, and behavior. Once a client has passed all of the necessary polygraphs, completed / presented their treatment manual, and demonstrated compliance with probation for a certain period of time (usually a year or more), they can be moved to aftercare. This status results in monthly sessions with treatment and is the level at which most clients spend the rest of their probation sentence.

If you or someone you know wants to learn more about how to be successful on sex offender probation, be smart. Contact the experienced sex crimes attorneys at Sawyer Legal Group at 303-731-0719. Together, we can protect your future.

Photo Credit: pexels – Inzmam Kahn