COLORADO – On November 19th, the Colorado Sex Offender Management Board (SOMB) voted to amend the language used when referring to sex offenders – by no longer referring to them as “sex offenders.”
Reportedly, the new term to be used by SOMB will be “adults who commit sexual offenses” within their Standards and Guidelines for the Assessment, Evaluation, Treatment, and Behavioral Monitoring of Adult Sex Offenders.
The rationale for amending said term is to promote a “person-first” perspective regarding language when describing sex offenders. One must keep in mind that this alteration of used language to describe sex offenders was pushed forward by a group tasked with governing standards for treating people convicted of sex offenses.
Kimberly Kline, a licensed counselor and chair of SOMB, said that calling sex offenders “sex offenders” has “negative effects,” clearly signaling her support of being courteous when describing deviants and predators.
“I think the biggest thing is research really shows us that assigning a label has the potential for negative effects in rehabilitation.”
According to SOMB’s official statement regarding the matter, it was noted that said change in language would only apply to internal endeavors and not impact the use of the term “sex offender” in areas like state legislation and the ilk.
“The language change applies only to the SOMB Standards; the term ‘sex offender’ will continue to be used in Colorado statute and the criminal justice system, including courts, law enforcement, and the Colorado Sex Offender Registry. The name of the SOMB itself will also remain unchanged.”
Kimberly Corbin, who had survived a sexual assault herself, spoke out against the terminology change during the public meeting on the issue, saying labels based on attributes someone can’t control are one thing. But when it comes to sex offenders, on the other hand, they have earned and deserve such labels.
“It’s very, very damaging for those who people who are labeled when it has to do with gender, race, sexuality, ability, but those are not their choices. The biggest thing for me is these are choices that sex offenders make.
I’m involved today after hearing that it would be improper or offensive in some manner for me to refer to the man who raped me as a sex offender.”
While SOMB voted to enact the change in terminology, the effects are yet to be finalized as they’re affording a 20-day public comment period before reconvening in December to put forward a final vote on the matter.
This piece was written by Gregory Hoyt on November 22, 2021. It originally appeared in RedVoiceMedia.com and is used by permission.
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