Typical issues addressed are: sex offender relapse prevention; victim impact awareness and empathy development; responsibility for one’s own actions; dealing with different emotions, such as anger, depression, arousal management, and urge control; substance abuse; own victim issues; conflicts with authority figures; social and relationship skills; sexuality, both normal and abnormal; sexual conflict; full disclosure of sexual offenses; identifying distorted thinking; medical evaluation relevant to conditions affecting treatment compliance and arousal control.
Full Answer
Does offender treatment for sexual offenders work?
Recent research suggests that offense-focused psychological treatment for sexual offending shows some level of effectiveness in reducing both sexual and general reoffending. Further, there appear to be key program, individual, and study design features associated with treatment effectiveness. Summary
What are the ethics of a sex offender clinician?
Clinicians in sex offender treatment programs always encounter the need to balance the best interests of sex offenders and the safety needs of the community. The protection of the community often takes primacy, resulting in violation of traditional mental health codes of ethics.
Is sexual offending a serious problem in society?
Sexual offending has long been recognized as a serious problem with significant impacts on victims, their families, and society at large.
How effective are aftercare programs for sex offenders?
Drake, Aos and Miller's (2009) meta-analysis of six highly rigorous studies of adult sex offender treatment with aftercare found that these programs reduced recidivism, on average, by 9.6 percent. In addition, these programs produced a net return on investment of more than $4,000 per program participant.
What makes it so difficult to determine if a sex offender treatment program is effective?
Inconsistent research findings and the fact that those studies that have found a positive treatment effect have not been randomized controlled trials are two primary factors contributing to the uncertainty about treatment effectiveness. The mechanisms that lead to sexually abusive behavior vary by offender.
Is sex offender treatment ever effective?
Treated sex offenders in the study had sexual reconviction rates of 16.9 percent after 5 years and 21.8 percent after 10 years, compared to sexual reconviction rates for the untreated sex offenders of 24.5 percent after 5 years and 32.3 percent after 10 years of followup.
Why are sex offenders treated differently?
Why are child sex crimes, and other sex crimes in general, considered different and treated differently? Largely because society tends to view sex crimes as worse than many other crimes — perhaps worse than all other crimes, especially when they involve a child.
What is the best treatment for sex offenders?
cognitive-behavioral treatmentAlthough there is some debate regarding wheth- er treatment with sexual offenders is effective, cognitive-behavioral treatment remains the most widely accepted and empirically supported model of sexual offender treatment with respect to reduc- ing recidivism (e.g., Hanson et al., 2002; Lösel, & Schmucker, 2005).
Why is it important to treat sex offenders?
Treatment programs can contribute to public safety by reducing the risk of reoffending among sexual offenders.
What is its importance in the treatment of an offender?
So, the basic idea of treatment is to help the criminals enhance their ability to help themselves. They focus on specific types of offenders such as sex offenders, violent offenders and drug addicts. Now most people believe some treatment programs will help some offenders to prevent recidivism, to some extent.
How are sex offenders perceived?
Sex offenders are often perceived as the most despised offenders within the criminal justice system, frequently eliciting extreme negative emotional public reactions including fear, disgust, and moral outrage (Oliver & Barlow, 2010).
Why do sex offenders lie?
Lying. The sexual offender uses lies to control the information available and therefore to control the situation. The sexual offender also may use lying to keep other people, including his victim, off-balance psychologically.
Is there a difference in the way male sex offenders are treated and sentenced when compared to female sex offenders?
Results Results indicate that gender disparities in sex offender sentencing exist and are pervasive across sex offense types. Specifically, male sex offenders are more likely to be sentenced to prison, and given longer terms, than female sex offenders.
What are common goals of cognitive behavioral treatment programs for sex offenders?
In general, the most promising sexual offender treatment programs aim to change cognitive, attitudinal, affective, and behavioral patterns associated with sexual aggression, introduce adaptive patterns, and inculcate the skills necessary to manage the dynamic risk factors associated with recidivism risk.
Does rehabilitation work on rapists?
In summary, meta-analyses provide no substantial evidence of a rehabilitation effect in rapists - they provide little evidence either way.
What specific strategies are most effective for working with sex offenders in a community?
Intensive supervision and monitoring by specially trained probation and parole officers. Community prevention and education, including social messaging campaigns on respectful interaction.
What is the theme of the chapter on sex offenders?
The chapter describes specific techniques that may be more useful and effective, with an underlying (but unspoken) theme that therapy should be therapy and not punishment and that the therapist is just as obligated to avoid acting out the wish to punish sex offenders as with any other therapy client.
Who are the authors of the chapter on sadistic sexual aggression?
A chapter on “Sadistic Sexual Aggressors” (Jean Proulx, Etienne Blais, and Eric Beaurgard) is controversial, in that a review of the actual empirical research suggests that we may not understand sadistic offenders as well as we think we do.
Is Sexual Offender Treatment a textbook?
Overall, this book is not a comprehensive textbook of sexual offender treatment with a systematic review of the research and practice, but is instead a collection of reviews of particularly “hot topics” in the field. It is the high quality of most of the chapters that makes Sexual Offender Treatment: Controversial Issues a valuable and stimulating contribution.
What is the treatment of sexual offender?
Although there is some debate regarding whether treatment with sexual offenders is effective, cognitive-behavioral treatment remains the most widely accepted and empirically supported model of sexual offender treatment with respect to reducing recidivism (e.g., Hanson et al., 2002; Lösel, & Schmucker, 2005 ). Based on behavioral, cognitive, and social learning theory and models (e.g., Bandura, 1986; Beck, 1964, 1967, 1976; Yates et al., 2000, 2010 ), sexual offending is conceptualized as behavioral and cognitive patterns that are developed and maintained as a result of modeling, observational learning, and reinforcement of behavior, attitudes, and cognition. The focus of treatment is on altering patterns of behavioral, cognitive, and affective responding associated with sexual offending, such that such problematic, deviant, and/or criminal behavioral patterns and responses are replaced with adaptive, non-deviant, pro-social responding. In doing so, treatment targets such responses as these are related to the specific dynamic risk factors known to be linked to risk for re-offending, as described above.
How many contact hours should a sexual offender receive?
Some programs recommend between 80 ( Beech & Mann, 2002) and 120 contact hours (e.g., Marshall, et al., 2006 ), while others recommend between 160 to 195 contact hours for moderate risk sexual offenders and approximately 300 hours of treatment contact for high risk offenders ( Correctional Service Canada, 2000 ). In a comprehensive evaluation, Bourgon and Armstrong (2005) examined treatment intensity as a function of both risk and criminogenic needs (see below). They found that 100 contact hours was sufficient to reduce recidivism for general offenders presenting with moderate risk and few criminogenic needs, 200 hours was more effective when offenders were either high risk or had multiple criminogenic needs, and that 300 contact hours or more was required to reduce recidivism among offenders who were both higher risk and who had multiple criminogenic needs. Based on research pertaining to general offenders, as well as results from accredited sexual offender programs, Hanson & Yates (2013) recommend no specialized treatment for low risk sexual offenders (the bottom 10% to 20% of the risk distribution; Hanson, Lloyd, Helmus, & Thornton, 2012 ), 100 to 200 contact hours for moderate risk sexual offenders, and a minimum of 300 hours for sexual offenders presenting with high risk and high needs (the top 10% to 20% of the risk distribution; Hanson et al., 2012 ).
What is responsivity in correctional treatment?
Specifically, this principle indicates that treatment, in addition to being cognitive-behavioral in orientation (see Andrews & Bonta, 2010 ), should be delivered in a manner that is responsive to various characteristics of the individual, such as language, culture, personality style, intelligence, anxiety levels , learning styles, and cognitive abilities, in order to increase their engagement and participation in treatment to ensure maximal effectiveness ( Andrews & Bonta, 2010 ). These factors can affect clients' engagement with treatment, their motivation, their ability to understand and apply information presented in treatment to their own personal circumstances, and their manner of processing information presented in treatment. Therefore, treatment implementation should be varied and adapted to individual styles and abilities in order to maximize effectiveness, which involves significant skill on the part of clinicians.
What are non-criminogenic factors?
Non-criminogenic factors include such areas as self-esteem, personal distress, victim empathy, and denial ( Hanson & Bussiere, 1998; Hanson & Morton-Bourgon, 2005; Yates, 2009a ), none of which has been found to be reliably linked to recidivism in research. While it is common practice in treatment to address such factors, these are not empirically supported and are unlikely to be the best use of limited resources that aim to reduce reoffending.
What does it mean when treatment adheres to these principles?
Specifically, meta-analytic research indicates that, when treatment adheres to these principles, it is associated with reduced sexual re-offending.
Is sexual offender treatment a model?
While not a model of sexual offender treatment per se, the characteristics of therapists and the approaches they use in treatment, have been found in research to be associated with improved treatment outcomes ( Beech & Fordham, 1997; Fernandez et al., 2006; Hanson et al., 2009; Marshall et al., 1999, 2002; Shingler & Mann, 2006; Yates, 2002; Yates et al., 2000 ). For example, research indicates that establishing a positive therapeutic relationship with the client accounts for a significant proportion of the variance in treatment outcome Fernandez et al., 2006; Hanson, 2009; Witte, Gu, Nicholaichuck, & Wong, 2001; Mann, Webster, Schofield, & Marshall, 2004; Marshall et al., 1999, 2003 ).
Do low risk offenders need specialized treatment?
In fact, low risk offenders likely do not require specialized treatment at all, and will benefit from routine supervision ( Andrews & Bonta, 2010; Hanson & Yates, 2013 ). Adherence to the risk principle, in addition to being the best use of limited resources, demonstrates that treatment is most effective when its level of intensity is matched ...
How many untreated sexual offenders were included in the 2015 meta-analysis?
Overall, 29 eligible comparisons containing a total of 4,939 treated and 5,448 untreated sexual offenders were included in the analysis. Unlike the original study, all of the comparisons in the 2015 meta-analysis evaluated psychosocial treatment approaches, and most were cognitive behavioral programs. Treatment, offender and methodological characteristics also were examined to identify various factors that moderated treatment effectiveness.
How much does treatment reduce recidivism?
Treatment can reduce sexual recidivism over a 5-year period by 5–8 percent.
How many studies have shown positive treatment effects?
In fact, Craig, Browne and Stringer (2003) reported that 18 of the 19 treatment studies published between 1995 and 2003 demonstrated positive treatment effects, and a third of those used sound methodological techniques. While there are well-constructed guidelines and tools available that promote objectivity and reliability in the assessment of methodological rigor, differences of opinion about the quality and scientific value of certain methods or individual studies are not uncommon.
What is crime control based on?
While there is growing interest in crime control strategies that are based on scientific evidence, determining what works is not an easy task. It is not uncommon for studies of the same phenomena to produce ambiguous or even conflicting results, and there are many examples of empirical evidence misleading crime control policy and practice because shortcomings in the quality of the research were overlooked and inaccurate conclusions about an intervention's effectiveness were made (see Sherman, 2003; McCord, 2003; Boruch, 2007). The importance of basing conclusions about what works on highly trustworthy and credible evidence cannot be overstated, and both the quality and consistency of the research evidence always have to be considered.
When is treatment most effective?
Treatment is apt to be most effective when it is tailored to the risks, needs, and offense dynamics of individual offenders.
Which approach to relapse prevention is most effective?
Cognitive-behavioral/relapse prevention approaches appear to be effective.
Does sex offender treatment have a positive effect?
Findings from single studies of sex offender treatment conducted within the past 10 years remain somewhat inconsistent, but the weight of the evidence from more rigorous studies suggests that treatment — particularly cognitive behavioral approaches ― can have a positive effect.
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Abstract
This article addresses issues surrounding the organizational planning and evaluation of specialized sex offender treatment programs in secure correctional environments.
When was the study on sex offender recidivism conducted?
The Effectiveness of Sex Offender Treatment Programs. In January of 1989, before the sex offender hysteria hit the legislative sector of our country, a study was conducted entitled ‘ Sex Offender Recidivism a Review ‘, by the noted researchers L. Furby, M.R.Weinroth, and L. Blackshaw. Although the primary purpose of this study was to try ...
Why does the criminal justice system need to stop?
The criminal justice system needs to stop forcing people into treatment programs that are doing more harm than good and are violating the basic concepts of individual freedom guaranteed to every American citizen by the Bill of Rights and the Constitution.
Why was the Furby study thrown out?
They looked at literally hundreds of other studies, most of which were thrown out because they did not follow proper scientific methodology.
Who said that a treatment is effective must demonstrate that it has an effect in comparison to a hypothetical counter-f?
Robyn M. Dawes in his book ‘ House of Cards Psychology and Psychotherapy Built on Myth ‘, stated “A person who claims that a treatment is effective must demonstrate that it has an effect in comparison to a hypothetical counter-factual, obtained through construction of a randomly constituted control group.”.
Is there a more shameful group of criminals than sex offenders?
There is probably no more ashamed group of criminals than sex offenders, thus using the shame, blame, guilt model as punishment and in treatment just tends to exacerbate it and is unnecessary.
Introduction
- Sex offenders have received considerable attention in recent years from both policymakers and the public. This is due at least in part to the profound impact that sex crimes have on victims and the larger community. Perpetrators of sex crimes have come to be viewed by policymakers, practitioners and, arguably, the public as a unique group of offenders in need of special manage…
Issues to Consider
- While there is growing interest in crime control strategies that are based on scientific evidence, determining what works is not an easy task. It is not uncommon for studies of the same phenomena to produce ambiguous or even conflicting results, and there are many examples of empirical evidence misleadingcrime control policy and practice because shortcomings in the qu…
Summary of Research Findings
- Findings From Single Studies
One of the few studies to use a randomized controlled trial design to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment for adult sex offenders was conducted by Marques and colleagues (2005). Widely known as the California Sex Offender Treatment and Evaluation Project, the study examined the … - Findings From Synthesis Research
One of the most influential early reviews of sex offender treatment outcome research was conducted by Furby, Weinrott and Blackshaw (1989). Based on a review of 42 individual studies, the researchers concluded that, due to methodological shortcomings and inconsistent findings, …
Summary
- Given the impact sex crimes have on victims and the larger community, and the growing number of sex offenders under correctional supervision, the need for knowledge about criminal justice interventions that are effective at reducing the recidivism of sex offenders may be greater today than ever before. While there is strong scientific evidence that therapeutic interventions work fo…