Sex Offender Treatment

Given the rising concern about the problem of sexual violence, increased attention has been given to the evaluation of existing treatment interventions and the exploration of new treatment models that aim to prevent or reduce future sexual violence. Because the rehabilitation of sex offenders might curb future sex offending and thus enhance overall public safety, the importance of research that examines the efficacy of sex offender treatment interventions cannot be overstated. To date, the majority of research has been directed at examining whether suitable treatment interventions exist, whether sex offenders are amenable to such treatment, and most important, whether such treatments “work.”

Numerous treatment models have been used to rehabilitate sex offenders. While some forms of treatment were developed specifically for use with sex offender populations, ...