WSIPP: Publication

Report Detail
Full Report	March 2005
Involuntary Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators: Comparing State Laws Roxanne Lieb, Kathy Gookin
In 1990, the Washington State Legislature passed a new form of involuntary commitment for sex offenders identified as “sexually violent predators” (SVPs). This law permits the state to retain custody of individuals found by a judge or jury to pose risks for reoffending. Since Washington’s enactment, 16 other states have adopted similar laws. Texas requires outpatient treatment rather than confinement; Pennsylvania law pertains only to 20-year-olds “aging out” of the juvenile system. This paper summarizes key features of the SVP laws, focusing on three questions: How many individuals have been held under these laws? How many have been released under some form of less restrictive alternative? What are the program costs? Document ID: (05-03-1101)

Keywords: costs, recidivism, sex offender laws, sex predators, sexually violent predators, state law, sex offender, SVP, involuntary commitment