Sexual Offender Legislation & Case Law
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Training Description
Underlying contemporary assessment, management, and monitoring practices for sexual offenders is a fascinating latticework of state and federal legislation as well as seminal case law which are comprehensively reviewed in this ATSA Master Class. In addition, research concerning the impact of community protection public policy will be summarized, including sexual offender registration, notification, residency restrictions, and civil commitment. The course also considers an array of related sociolegal issues such as mandatory reporting requirements for child and elder abuse. Finally, the quality and availability of legal counsel for sexual offenders is discussed as are international laws concerning sexual offenders and the applicability of therapeutic jurisprudence principles to this clinical population.
Trainer Biographies
Jill Levenson, PhD, LCSW is Associate Professor of Social Work at Barry University in Miami, Florida. A licensed clinical social worker with over 25 years of experience with interpersonal violence and trauma-related disorders, Dr. Levenson’s primary area of research involves studying the impact and effectiveness of social policies and therapeutic interventions designed to reduce sexual violence. She has published over 80 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and has co-authored three books on the treatment of sex offenders and their families. In addition to her role as an academic, she continues to maintain an active clinical practice.
Michael L. Perlin, JD is Professor of Law Emeritus at New York Law School (NYLS), founding director of NYLS's Online Mental Disability Law Program, and founding director of NYLS's International Mental Disability Law Reform Project in its Justice Action Center. Author of over 30 books and 300 articles on topics including sexual violent predator legislation, mental illness and the criminal justice system, and mental disability law, Professor Perlin has been the recipient of numerous prestigious awards including the American Psychiatric Association and American Academy of Psychiatry and Law’s Manfred Guttmacher Award. Before becoming a professor, he was a Deputy Public Defender in New Jersey as well as the director of the Division of Mental Health Advocacy for the New Jersey Department of the Public Advocate.
Heather Ellis Cucolo, JD is an adjunct professor and the current director of New York Law School’s Online Mental Disability Law Program. In addition to representing individuals facing civil commitment under both the New Jersey Mental Hygiene Law and the New Jersey’s Sexually Violent Predators Act, Professor Cucolo has published and lectured internationally on the representation and treatment of sexual offenders. She is recognized as one of the premiere experts in sexual violent predator law and has counseled attorneys, judges and clinicians on law and procedure in civil commitment proceedings and issues involving persons suffering from a mental disability or illness within the criminal justice system.
Learning Objectives
This training is designed to help you:
- Review contemporary federal, state, and county sexual offender legislation in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, South Africa, and Hong Kong
- Summarize research on the effectiveness and unintended consequences of sexual offender registration, notification, residency restrictions, and civil commitment in reducing recidivism
- Explore the United States federal and state statutory definitions and penalties of different types of sexual offenses
- Examine mandatory reporting requirements for child abuse and elder abuse
- Identify key United States Supreme Court and state Supreme Court decisions relevant to sexual offenders
- Recognize the tenants of therapeutic jurisprudence and apply them to legislation concerning sexual offenders
