Sex Sells, But Does it Help? A Survey of Media Coverage in a Medium Secure Unit Treating Sex Offenders

This article reports on a study designed to review the media coverage of patients in a medium secure unit and to demonstrate the value to such units of having a media strategy. Most of the patients in the study had a history of sexually motivated offending, a significant proportion against children. The pattern of a typical media report and the organisational response is discussed, while broader political developments over the study period are noted.