This work explores criminal justice responses to the management of individuals who are convicted of sexual offences. It contextualizes the issue of sex offenders in the community, exploring the theoretical and legal frameworks that underpin current practice. It also covers risk assessment.

Community penalties are court-ordered punishments, falling between imprisonment and fines, and involve some contact by a criminal justice agency in a community-based setting. There has been a big increase in their use in recent years, particularly in the context of new forms of technology (e.g. electronic tagging) and community-based restorative justice conferences.