Resources

Videos

Circles Spain Video

This video was produced be Harry Nigh for Circles Spain.  Harry briefly explains how CoSA (Circles of Support and Accountability) started in 1994 and how to keep CoSA volunteers motivated.

CoSA's 30th Anniversary

We celebrated CoSA's 30th Anniversary in Hamilton, Ontario on November 23rd, 2024.   This video contains 5 video segments that were shown at this event.

Facing Our Messy Lives

This is a trailer for a new documentary titled, FACING Our Messy Lives. Please contact director@cosa-ottawa.ca to arrange a screening of the full-length documentary.

Vancouver-Fraser Valley

This video explains what Circles of Support and Accountability is and how it affects offenders told by CoSA volunteers from CoSA Vancouver, Surrey, and Fraser Valley.

CoSA Peterborough

Please consider donating to One City PTBO to support our Housing Program alongside our many other programs.

No One Is Disposable

Informational Video about Circles of Support and Accoutability.

Released for Good

Released for Good did an interview of some members from CoSA Ottawa to talk about Circles of Support and Accountability on February 16th 2022.

Circles Europe (Harry)

This is Harry's speech at a conference in Barcelona in January 2021.

Missoula, MT (Robin)

This is part one of Robin Wilson's  CoSA Training event in Missoula, Montana on August 23rd, 2016.

CoSA - Canadian Correctional Service

This video was posted on YouTube by the Reconciliation and Re-Entry Ministries in June 2015 (part 1 of 2).

CTV Morning Live Ottawa (Susan Love)

Susan Love appeared on CTV Morning Live in Ottawa on May 7th 2013 to talk about CoSA.

Community Volunteer Award - CoSA Ottawa

CoSA Ottawa won the Community Volunteer Program Award in 2013

Books

Sexual Crime and Circles of Support and Accountability
Elliott, H., Hocken, K., Lievesley, R., Blagden, N., Winder, B., Banyard, P., Eds.
2018
A Community-Based Approach to the Reduction of Sexual Reoffending
Chris Wilson, Terry Philpot, and Stephen Hanvey
2011
The Little Book of Restorative Justice for Sexual Abuse
Judah Oudshoorn, Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz and Michelle Jackett
2015
The Prevention of Sexual Violence: A Practitioner’s Sourcebook
Keith L. Kaufman, Ed.
2020

Articles

Below is a selection of research and reading resources. Further academic writing on CoSA is accessible to campus-affiliated researchers and students or can be purchased from the publisher.

UK National Evaluation of Big Lottery Funded Circles of Support and Accountability

Winder, B., Blagden, N., Lievesley, R., Dwerryhouse, M.,Kitson-Boyce, R & Elliott, H.

2020
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Restorative Justice and Sexual Violence: Annotated Bibliography

Bourgon, N., Coady, K.

2019
Read Article

Circles of Support and Accountability for Sex Offenders: A Systematic Review of Outcomes

Clarke, M., Brown, S., & Völlm, B.

2015
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Accessing the impact of Circles of Support and Accountability on the reintegration of adults convicted of sexual offences in the community

Thomas, T., Thompson, D,. & Karstedt, K.

2014
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Evaluability Assessments of the Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA) Model, Site Report: Vermont CoSA

Ian A. Elliott, Ph.D., Gary Zajac, Ph.D., Courtney A. Meyer, M.A.

2013
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Evaluating the effectiveness of professionally facilitated volunteerism in the community-based management of high-risk sexual offenders (part 1)

Elliott, I., Zajac, G., & Meyer, C.

2007
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Evaluating the effectiveness of professionally facilitated volunteerism in the community-based management of high-risk sexual offenders (part 2)

Elliott, I., Zajac, G., & Meyer, C.

2007
Read Article

Press Releases

March 3rd, 2025

CoSA Canada Reduces Sexual Violence

Provincial and federal governments made a commitment to support the Federal framework to reduce recidivism but aren’t providing sufficient funding.

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December 4th, 2024

Public's understanding of paedophiles has not improved, says charity boss

Rev Harry Nigh, who set up Circles in 1994 to support sex offenders, says it is easy for politicians to say ‘lock them up’

Read Article
May 3rd, 2024

‘I think this is a crisis’: Renowned sex offender rehabilitation program set to close in Toronto, Hamilton and Kitchener after funding loss

The made-in-Ontario Circles of Support and Accountability, or CoSA, has been copied across Canada and in the United Kingdom, United States, Australia and South Korea — but it has now lost funding in the very communities where it was created.

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April 18th, 2024

Non-Profit that helps sex offenders rejoin society knows its mission is a 'tough sell'

Even though the program has proven its effectiveness – lowering recidivism by as much as 83 per cent – its future remains uncertain because of funding challenges.

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March 19th, 2022

Organization devoted to sex offender rehabilitation facing financial hardship due to lack of funding

Circles of Support and Accountability, or CoSA, coordinates support groups where volunteers form a “circle” with convicted sex offenders, providing provide structure and accountability.

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January 9th, 2020

Friends with a sex offender: Sask. man says support saves him from re-offending

Circles of Support and Accountability group has an 80 per cent success rate.

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October 22nd, 2019

Harry Nigh started groundbreaking sex-offender support group

Twenty-five years ago, Harry Nigh led a com­mun­ity effort in Hamilton to provide nearly constant companionship and support to a high-risk sex-­offender named Charlie as he was released from prison. With this help, Charlie never reoffended. Today, the model established by this initial experiment (called a Circle of Support and Accountability, or COSA) has been replicated worldwide as a way to support the reintegration of high-risk offenders. Nigh spoke with Julie McGonegal.

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March 2nd, 2015

Sex crime prevention program cut by Ottawa

Government evaluation of Circles of Support and Accountability found it boosts public safety, saves money.

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Blogs

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