Specialist Sexual Risk Assessments

We are also able to undertake specialist risk assessments of sexual offenders in both criminal and civil cases. In civil cases this can include an assessment of partners to assess their understanding and acceptance of risk and their resultant ability to protect.

Dr. Shaun Parsons has undergone extensive training in sexual risk assessment. He was trained and has extensive experience with a joint NHS and probation service specialized in offering evidenced based assessment of sexual risk in sexual offenders. He is also an experienced treatment provider having run and evaluated Sex Offender Treatment Programs over a eight year period. Dr. Parsons is also a researcher with an international reputation in the field of sexual risk assessment. In his context he is an Honorary Clinical Lecturer at the University of Newcastle working with leading researchers in the field. His recent work has included a six year international study into the use of the polygraph in the monitoring and control of sex offenders which has received major government funding and the results of which have resulted in planned changes in legislation to enable compulsory polygraph testing of offenders being monitored in the community. Additionally Dr. Parsons is an acknowledged expert on the role of personality in sexual offending. Dr. Parsons continues to be an active researcher in the field of sexual offending and sexual risk offending with a particular interest in the psychophysiology of deception.

Dr. Parsons has produced sexual risk assessments that have assisted both the criminal and family courts in England, Wales and Scotland. A list of Dr. Parsons' relevant publications is provided below.

All our sexual risk assessments are carried out by Dr. Parsons and another member of our team and are evidenced based assessments using proven and reliable clinical and psychometric techniques. These are then presented using standardized evidenced based risk measurement tools in order to provide an individualized and robust risk assessment.

Our sexual risk assessments can also be expanded to include an assessment of family dynamics by our Family Therapist Professor Christine Stevenson. It is therefore possible to provide a comprehensive assessment of the dynamics and risks within a family.

Dr. Parsons' publications in relation to sex offender risk assessment

Madsen, L; Parsons, S; Grubin, D (2006); The relationship between the five-factor model and DSM personality disorder in a sample of child molesters. Personality and Individual Differences. Vol 40 (2), Jan, pp.227-236

Grubin, D; Madsen, L; Parsons, S (2004); A preliminary study of the contribution of periodic polygraph testing to the treatment and supervision of sex offenders. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology; 15 (4), pp.682-695

Grubin, D Madsen, L; Parsons S; Sosnowski, D; Warberg, B (2004); A prospective study of the impact of polygraphy on high-risk behaviors in adult sex offenders. Sexual Abuse: Journal of Research and Treatment. Vol 16(3) pp. 209-222