What works’ in work with sexual offenders.

This review provides a summary of ‘what works’ with sexual offenders and seeks to highlight key research on sexual offenders, their assessment, interventions, and broader management responses. The review identifies the most effective responses as supported by the current state of research evidence, approaches under development, and identifies areas of potential good practice. Violent offenders are the subject of a separate short overview document.1 The term ‘dangerous offender’ is purposely avoided, as it is open to considerable debate and interpretation. The SOMEC project has focused on serious violent or sexual offenders, using a tighter focus on specific offence types resulting in serious physical harm or psychological trauma. The review is not exhaustive and is limited by access to English speaking publications with some limited reference to European publications. The methodology and search strategy are outlined in the body of the report and follow the expected process and standards for reviews of this type.