Sex Offender Treatment

“There are approximately 400, 000 registered sex offenders in the US alone and 8 out of 10 sex assaulters reported that their victim was under the age of 18. The median age of victims of imprisoned sex offenders was 13 years old” (National Alert Registry). So what are we doing to try and treat these offenders so they do not reoffend? There are different kinds of sex offender treatment programs and they are offered in different environments. For example, programs in the community and programs available to people incarcerated. Not every sex offender is qualified for a sex offender treatment program or wants to be a participant. There have been some studies done evaluating the effectiveness of sex offender treatment programs, which have had mixed results. More recently, there has been stronger evidence that sex offenders who participate in sex offender treatment programs have positive results with recidivism compared to sex offenders who did not participate. One study found treated sex offenders recidivated in 11% of the cases, whereas untreated sex offenders recidivated 17.6% over a five year period (Holmes & Holmes, 2009).

What are sex offender treatment programs? Sex offender treatment programs (SOTPs) are programs that are designed to help people who have been incarcerated for a sex offense or have an abnormal sexual problem, those who have treatment as a condition of their parole or those who are sentenced to treatment as a condition of their probation. If treatment is applied properly it can have a positive effect. “Effective treatment and management of sexual offenders can reduce sexual re-offending, thereby reducing human suffering and the cost associated with the processing and reincarceration of recidivists (Olver, Wong, & Nicholaichuk, 2008). A successful SOTP is based on its effect on recidivism and whether or not there is a decrease in recidivism. According to Winick and La Fond (2003), “the ultimate goal of sex offender treatment is the reduction of recidivism, some measure of that is the primary yardstick for evaluating treatment.”

There are different kinds of SOTPs offered in different settings. The two basic settings are community based programs and programs that are offered while offenders are incarcerated. Community based programs allow an offender to get treatment while not incarcerated. Community treatment allows the offender to hold a job, maintain a connection to family, friends, and society, and at the same time makes it possible to participate in therapy to change their attitudes and beliefs (La Fond 2005). The second setting for SOTPs is in prison, for people who have been incarcerated for sex crimes (i.e., rape, sexual assault, child molestation etc…). According to La Fond (2005), there are about 1,500 SOTPs available in United States prisons and about 39 states offer SOTPs. Prison-based SOTPs are often mandated for sex offenders as a condition of their incarceration. Most programs in prison revolve around group therapy. Group settings help with cost of SOTPs though it may not be ideal for sex offender therapy.

There are different approaches to treating sex offenders in SOTPs. Three basic approaches are cognitive-behavioral approach, psycho-educational approach and pharmacological approach. According to Bynum (2001), cognitive-behavioral approach emphasizes changing patterns of thinking that are related to sexual offending and changing deviant patterns of arousal; psycho-educational approach stresses increasing the offender’s concern for the victim and recognition of responsibility for their offense; and the pharmacological approach, which is based upon the use of medication to reduce sexual arousal. These three types of approaches are not necessarily mutually exclusive but are often used in conjunction with one another. As of lately, the cognitive-behavioral approach is most often used.

One specific SOTP that is being used in Massachusetts is using a cognitive-behavioral methodology. The program has three components: pre-treatment, core treatment and maintenance. Pre-treatment is designed to prepare the offender for core treatment; core treatment involves primary therapy groups, psycho-educational classes, behavioral treatment, community unit and other activities identified in specific participants treatment plans (Hallett, 2006). The first two parts take place in correctional facilities and the last part takes place when the offender is out of prison. According to Hallett (2006), “Since its inception in 1996, more than 200 parolees have been supervised under the program, and none of these offenders have been returned to custody as a result of committing a new sex offense.” Overall the Massachusetts program has had a positive effect on recidivism.

SOTPs can work but with further analysis one can see the setting were some take place may hinder these programs. Since correctional institutions, such as prisons, are not very mentally healthy places in general, SOTPs can have difficultly being effective within prisons. Sex offenders participating in SOTPs in prison are often scared that other inmates will find out they are sex offenders and they might be harassed or hurt by other inmates. Inmates that are not sex offenders feel very strongly about people who commit sex crimes and often times try to punish sex offenders in their own way. Since therapy needs an open, honest, and respectful environment the culture in prison can make this very difficult and it can hinder treatment progress (Schneider, Bosley, Ferguson & Main, 2006). Sex offenders need to admit that they participated in sexually deviant behavior and this can be very difficult if sex offenders are scared to be attacked by fellow prisoners. SOTPs are difficult to implement as it is, but are even harder in the hostile environment of a prison.

Correctional facilities are not structured for the purpose of therapy and consequently there is very little privacy; making it hard for participates to be as open and honest as they might be in a private setting (Schneider et al., 2006). Since therapist and correctional officers have different agendas and goals (correctional officers need to maintain safety and therapist want to help the offenders) they are often at odds with each other (Schneider et al., 2006). This can be very counterproductive for the effectiveness of SOTPs in correctional institutions. Not only is the institution a problem in itself but it is also hard for sex offenders receiving treatment in that type of confined environment to understand and evaluate what circumstances they might come face to face with out in the real world. “If anxiety, depression, anger, rejection, etc. put offenders at greater risk for reoffending, those events experienced in the community will be different than such experiences in confinement” (Campbell, 2004). All of these factors of a SOTP taking place in a correctional facility can be hard to overcome for success after the offender is released and back in the community.

SOTPs can be effective but I believe they need to become more widely available because not all sex offenders are a lost cause. Many sex offenders if given the chance and the opportunity can change and move on to be productive members of society. I believe society and the criminal justice system need to have a more balanced approach between punishment and treatment. It is not best to lock up every single sex offenders, especially since treatment programs have improved and been shown to reduce recidivism.

References

Bynum, T. (2001, May). Recidivism of Sex Offenders. Silver Spring, MD: Center for Sex

Offender Management.

Campbell, T. W. (2004). Assessing Sex Offenders. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas Publisher,

Ltd.

Hallett, A. (2006, December). Sex Offender Management Programming in Massachusetts.

Corrections Today, 68(7), 74-81. Retrieved April 28, 2009, from Academic Search

Premier database.

La Fond, J. Q. (2005). Preventing Sexual Violence. Washington, DC: American Psychological

Association.

Olver, M., Wong., & Nicholaichuk, T. (2008, March). Outcome Evaluation of a High-Intensity

Sex Offender Treatment Program. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 24(3), 522-536.

Retrieved April 11, 2010, from Academic Search Premier database.

Schneider, J., Bosley, J., Ferguson, G., & Main, M. (2006). The challenges of sexual offense

treatment programs in correctional facilities. Journal of Psychiatry & Law, 34(2),

169-196. Retrieved April 28, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

Winick, B. J., & La Fond, J. Q. (Eds.). (2003). Protecting Society from Sexually Dangerous

Offenders. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.