The Sex Offender Caseload (SOC) is a specialized caseload
devoted to using the most progressive and effective supervision tools
to monitor sex offenders' compliance with conditions of community supervision.
Accountability is an integral part of the SOC. Offenders are held accountable
for their offenses and other dangerous behaviors. An important goal of
the program is to have offenders understand and accept responsibility
for their offenses, behaviors and thoughts.
Offenders in the program must attend sex offender treatment. Sex offender
treatment differs somewhat from most people's perception of "counseling."
Unlike some traditional therapies, sex offender treatment is very cognitive-behavioral
in nature, and offenders in treatment are often confronted with their
cognitive distortions. Group therapy is the preferred modality. Offenders
in treatment learn to identify their offense cycles, develop victim empathy,
construct relapse prevention plans and deal with other life issues.
SOC utilizes the treatment-team approach endorsed by the American Probation
and Parole Association for the supervision of sex offenders. Also called
the containment approach, treatment teams are comprised of community supervision
officers, sex offender therapists and polygraph examiners. Free exchange
of information among these members is vital to the proper supervision
of sex offenders.
Collin County CSCD believes that frequent visits outside the office atmosphere
are an important part of sex offender supervision. Community supervision
officers make random checks of offenders' home environments to discuss
special issues and monitor their surroundings for warning signs of risk.
The program is funded through three primary means. A
large portion of the operating costs is supported by a grant from the
Texas Department of Criminal Justice -- Community Justice Assistance Division.
Other funds come from monthly supervision fees paid by offenders and basic
supervision funds from the state.
