Dynamics of Recidivism in Sexual and Violent Offending

Gunda Wöessner is a Professor of Psychology and Clinical Psychology at the Protestant University for Applied Sciences in Freiburg, i. Br., Germany. Moreover, she is a certified specialist in forensic psychology BDP/DGPs, and former Senior Researcher, Department of Criminology, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law where she was heading several research projects including ‘Sexual offenders in the social therapeutic institutions of the Free State of Saxony’. Her research activities focus on correctional treatment, recidivism, rehabilitation and reentry processes of persons convicted of sex offenses and violent offenses. She also conducted studies on electronic monitoring, and alternative measures such as restorative justice in cases of sexual violence. Furthermore, Gunda Wössner’s portfolio comprises research on gender-based violence such as a study on the impact of the Covid-19-pandemic on intimate partner violence. She has published her research results in various national and international journals and volumes. From 2015 until 2016, she held a professorship of psychology at the University of Applied Police Sciences Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany. Gunda Wössner is the current member in respect of Germany in the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).