Circles of Support and Accountability: An Innovative Approach to the Management of Sex Offenders

Hosted by the National Reentry Resource Center, with Funding Support from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance

When returning home after incarceration, people convicted of sexual offenses face many obstacles that prevent them from securing housing and accessing employment and educational opportunities. These obstacles are also often compounded by additional barriers, including limited access to prosocial activities and restrictions on reuniting with family, among others. The Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA) model focuses on the safe reintegration of people returning home from incarceration through community involvement and collaboration.

In this webinar, presenters provide an overview of the CoSA model and describe what implementation looks like across the country; review Vermont’s CoSA model, which has seen effective results in community reintegration and recidivism reduction; and, discuss how evidence-based programming can help improve outcomes and better integrate people with sexual offense convictions into broader reentry strategies.

Panelists:

• David A. D’Amora, Director of Special Projects/Senior Advisor, the CSG Justice Center
• Robin J. Wilson, PhD, ABPP, Wilson Psychological Services LLC
• Derek Miodownik, Community and Restorative Justice Executive, Vermont Department of Corrections
• Laura E. Zeliger, Community and Restorative Justice Director, Vermont Department of Corrections
• Chris Barton, Restorative Systems Administrator, Vermont Department of Corrections

Moderator:

• Lahiz P. Tavarez, Policy Analyst, the CSG Justice Center