Short Version
Section 3: An Overview of Sex Offender Treatment for a Non–Clinical Audience
Elements of Sex Offender–Specific Treatment
25 Minutes
TOPIC:
INTRODUCTION
(2 Minutes)
Use
Slide #1: Elements of Sex Offender–Specific Treatment: Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section of the curriculum, participants will be able to:
- Identify some of the components of sex offender–specific treatment;
- Identify the four domains of sex offender–specific treatment; and
- Identify several ethical issues in the treatment of sex offenders.
Use
Slide #2: Two Facets of Sex Offender Management: Addressing
both External and Internal Controls
Sex offender management is comprised of two different yet equally important strategies: those that place external controls on the offender as a means to manage his behavior, and those strategies that address building the offender’s own internal controls.
I said that external controls are used as a means to manage an offender’s behavior. Probation and parole supervision, polygraph testing, sex offender registration, drug and alcohol testing, the use of community support networks, and so on, are all examples of external controls.
The management strategy that addresses the development of internal controls—treatment—complements and works in tandem with these external control efforts. This training curriculum addresses the four domains of sex offender treatment: sexual interests, distorted attitudes, interpersonal functioning and behavior management. It is through these domains of treatment that we hope to assist sex offenders in the development of effective and lifelong internal controls. As you can see from this diagram, addressing internal controls is a central part of sex offender management; and one that is facilitated and enhanced by the use of external controls.