Supervision of individuals convicted of child sexual offences: empirical insights into Danish police practices

While sex offender management has long been a responsibility of law enforcement in the UK and the US, it remains a relatively little-known aspect of policing despite its crucial role in protecting the public. In Denmark, this represents an entirely new role for the police. Since 2020, officers have been responsible for supervising individuals convicted of sexual offences against children (ICSOCs). Drawing on 51 interviews with police officers, coordinators, and caseworkers across 10 police districts, this article examines how Danish police supervise ICSOCs. The findings reveal substantial variation in supervisory practices both across and within police districts. By drawing on an analytical framework capable of conceptualising these variations, the study observes three distinct supervisory practices across the police: formality, supportive, and restrictive supervision. While these practices differ in the level of control exercised, the degree of consideration involved, and the strength of the relational engagement on which they rest, these variations raise concerns about the effectiveness of the supervision scheme, as the findings further suggest that they are driven more by organisational, professional, and personal conditions within the police than by the level of risk posed by the ICSOCs under supervision.