NARSOL opposes the use of post-sentence civil commitment as it is now practiced with those having sexual crime convictions, which is as a means to extend the incarceration period beyond the court-imposed sentence.
Until such time as post-prison sexual offense civil commitment can be abolished, NARSOL will advocate:
- to limit it strictly to extraordinary cases where the state clearly proves, using evidence-based and best-practice clinical procedures, that the person presents a danger to the community;
- that state authorities be required to lay out a “clear path home” for each person entering the ‘program’ so that each committed person is aware of exactly what they have to do to obtain release, including treatment;
- that states be required to provide persons who are deemed indigent legal representation and financial resources necessary to engage experts on their behalf;
- that treatment be evidence-based, using best-practice clinical procedures, with the goal of reintegration back into society;
- for a thorough review of all currently committed persons to determine if they meet the dangerousness criteria as defined above with an appeal process that provides representation and financial resources as described above for those who are deemed indigent.