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Read More About It: Article: Sex Offender Registration in CT - It's Not That Simple |
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A guide for parents to teach their children personal safety rules to reduce the risk of sexual abuse "Children are best protected by giving them the knowledge and skills necessary for their safety and well-being." The importance of sex education for children Do Something About It:
Connecticut Sexual Assault Tel/TTY: 860-292-9881
Call (888) 999-5545
Centers Provide:
More Information: www.connsacs.org |
Sexual Offender Treatment The treatment of sexual offenders in the community is a very important component in the quest to end sexual violence. It is necessary to work on various levels of response in order to combat this epidemic problem. One level of response is the treatment of sexual offenders. Though it is often heard that such treatment is ineffective,this is inaccurate. Research indicates that the recidivism rates of untreated offenders range from four to forty percent, depending on what type of offender is being measured. A recent ten-year study, from Vermont, showed a 7% recidivism rate among treated offenders ( of all types ) after a ten-year period. Increasing attention has recently been paid to the importance of preventive measures directed toward both potential victims and potential offenders. Society has begun to recognize and respond to our growing awareness of the role culture plays in perpetuating sexual abuse. Continued services to those who have been victims are essential as well. We must also continue our efforts to work with those who have already offended because they will continue to exist in the community and pose a future risk for re-offense. Lifetime incarceration for all sexual offenders is neither feasible nor advisable for numerous reasons. We need to provide treatment for several reasons. First, we must provide a means by which offenders, who are motivated and sincere in their efforts, can work towards avoiding re-offending. The research suggests, we believe, that specialized sex offender treatment offers the best chance for them to discontinue their inappropriate behavior. Second, treatment for offenders is a way to hold them accountable. The treatment process confronts perpetrators about the reality of their behavior and the impact it has had on others. Indeed, at times, offenders would prefer to endure a period of incarceration, rather than participate in treatment, because it is a difficult and painful process requiring significant changes in thinking, lifestyle, and self-image. Two cornerstones of specialized treatment are relapse prevention and victim empathy. Relapse prevention forces offenders to recognize that their offending was a choice for which they are responsible. They learn the patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that contributed to their ultimate decision to offend. Victim empathy requires offenders to appreciate the damage they have committed. We believe that, for many offenders, the awareness of this knowledge is an important motivation against re-offending. Finally, it is also important to offer treatment for the sake of those who have been victims. Some victims of sexual abuse want their perpetrator punished; almost all want sex offenders to get help so they will not continue to victims others. Participation in treatment, with a goal of acknowledging one's offense and taking responsibility for it, validates the victim and reinforces the fact that the responsibility for the offending behavior lies strictly with the offender. It must be remembered that treatment of sexual offenders differs from traditional psychotherapy. It is a direct and highly educational approach. Clients are typically mandated as a condition of their parole or probation or as a prerequisite for parole consideration for those who are incarcerated. There is very limited confidentiality since, by definition, sexual abuse harms others. Therefore, treatment providers adhere to strict standards in regards to reporting their clients and communicate-cate openly with probation and parole authorities. In so doing, specialized treatment amplifies the effectiveness oof probation or parole supervision. The interaction between treatment and supervision is a synergistic one in which both parties benefit from the collaboration. As we continue to work with offenders, we enhance our understanding of the problem and develop new and more effective approaches to treating it. We have recently become involved in a pilot program in New Haven (the SAFE- T Pro- gram) that includes not only the close interaction between treatment and supervision, but a victim advocacy component in the team process as well. There is no one response or system that can end sexual violence. However, given the growing body of evidence of the cultural support for such behavior, it makes intuitive sense that a collaborative response to sexual violence be developed. This response recognizes that there are many common goals of treatment, supervision, and victim advocacy. If we are to effectively combat a behavior so ingrained in our culture, we need to have the different systems that respond to sexual violence effectively join together to end its existence. SAFE-T: The Intensive The Intensive Sex Offender Unit (SAFE-T: Supervision, Advocation, Follow-up, Evaluation, Treatment), which is located in the New Haven Office of Adult Probation, is a collaborative effort between the Office of Adult Probation, the Center for the Treatment of problem Sexual Behavior, and the Connecticut Sexual Assault Crisis Services, Inc. The unit's goals are to ensure victim safety and community protection, maximize the opportunity for the offender to participate and complete treatment without re-offending, and to hold offenders accountable through immediate response to violation behavior. The unit is comprised of four Probation Officers--three of whom supervise offenders intensively, the fourth who works with offenders in the Relapse Prevention phase--three sex of- fender treatment providers, and one victim's representative. Each component brings various experience and expertise to the unit that adds to the unique composition. Although each component has its separate authority and reponsibility, the mission blends all talent together. This combination of work efforts far exceeds the sum of the components. Probation Officer roles extend into the treatment areas by co-facilitating group therapy sessions. The Victim Advocate also participates with groups in developing victim empathy modalities of treatment processes. Treatment counselors are afforded the opportunity of accompanying probation officers on home visits which enables a totally different perspective of the offender. The Victim Advocate interfaces with Probation in maintaining contact with victims, referrals to service agencies, and offering suggestions in the supervision of offenders. Often, the advocate's intervention alerts Probation of potential violation hazards. On more than one occasion, the advocate has made interventions that have assisted in preventing additional harm to the victim. Probation Officers assigned to the Unit become more skilled in detecting behaviors that would indicate the offender is at risk of re-offending. Through participation in the group therapy process, officers can experience first hand the dynamics of the offense cycle, generating a rapid response to possible relapse behaviors. This Unit has developed cutting edge techniques in an effort to stop the sexual offense cycle. Through the combined efforts of all involved, it is anticipated that public safety will be enhanced.
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