Introduction to Sex Offender Treatment J. Michael Adler, PhD Sex Offender Treatment Board Conference August 9 – 11, 2009

1. Introduction to Sex Offender TreatmentJ. Michael Adler, PhDSex Offender Treatment Board ConferenceAugust 9 – 11, 2009

2. Introduction to Sex Offender Treatment Sex Offender treatment refers to the process of changing dynamic risk factors in order to minimize risk for future sexual offensive behavior. J. Michael Adler, PhD

3. Sex Offender Treatment • Sexual offending can not be cured. • There is no known treatment that is 100% effective in stopping sex offending. • Offenders do recidivate. Completion of treatment does not cure sexual offenders. J. Michael Adler, PhD

4. Sex Offender Treatment • The focus of sex offender treatment is on the problem of sexually offensive behavior. • This includes understanding the dynamic and static risk factors, the early, immediate, ongoing, and high risk factors. J. Michael Adler, PhD

5. Sex Offender Treatment • Treatment must identify and address precursors, cycles, and deviant sexual interests and arousal. • Treatment involves developing lifestyle changes that interfere with their sexual offense cycle. J. Michael Adler, PhD

6. Sex Offender Treatment • Treatment is much more complex than the offender taking responsibility and/or saying “I did it!” • Just because a sex offender admits to what they have done, does not reduce their risk to re-offend J. Michael Adler, PhD

7. Sex Offender Treatment • Likewise, just because and offender doesn’t admit that he/she offended, doesn’t mean that they are a higher risk to re-offend. • Denial and honesty are mitigating factors for treatment; not risk. J. Michael Adler, PhD

8. Sex Offender Treatment • Regardless of how good you are at catching manipulation, sex offenders are much better at manipulation and seduction than you are at catching it. • Don’t work alone! Let me say that again • Don’t Work Alone!!! J. Michael Adler, PhD

9. Sex Offender Treatment • Sex Offender Treatment does not equate to sex offender advocates. • We treat sex offenders because we want to prevent further victims. We are victim prevention treatment programs. J. Michael Adler, PhD

10. Sex Offender Treatment • Just because we are not “offender advocates” doesn’t mean we can mistreat sex offenders. • Sex Offenders are human beings who regardless of their behavior should be treated with respect and concern. J. Michael Adler, PhD

11. Sex Offender Treatment • Regardless how good a clinician you are, if you can not communicate to the sex offender that you want to help him/her with their offending, you will not successfully treat them. • Sex offender treatment can not utilize secrecy, poor boundaries, abuse, exploitation, or any other dynamic they used to sexually act offend. J. Michael Adler, PhD

12. Sex Offender Treatment • Sex Offenders will attempt to re-create the environment in which they offended in your treatment program. That is what they know and what they have done for years. • Did I Tell you not to work alone? J. Michael Adler, PhD

13. Sex Offender Treatment • Deviant sexual acting out is patterned, repetitive, and predatory. • Deviant sexual acting out involves manipulation, coercion, force, power and/or control, and secrecy. These issues must always be challenged and confronted J. Michael Adler, PhD

14. Sex Offender Treatment • Sex Offending is a behavior and a choice. • It is not a direct consequence of the offender’s abuse, marital problems, or childhood. • However, the offender’s interpretation of their experiences is a contributing factor. J. Michael Adler, PhD

15. Sex Offender Treatment • Sex Offender treatment utilizes a cognitive-behavioral approach. • It also incorporates objective testing such as polygraph and plethysmograph or sexual interest screening. J. Michael Adler, PhD

16. Sex Offender Treatment • Some types of treatment are worse than no treatment! • Partial treatment appears to be just as bad! • Treatment gains largely happens in stages and over extended periods of time. J. Michael Adler, PhD

17. Sex Offender Treatment • Many Sex Offenders who offend within the family also offend outside the family and vice versa. • Sex Offenders have multiple paraphilias. They often sexually act out in many different ways. J. Michael Adler, PhD

18. Sex Offender Treatment • There are many types of sex offenders. Sex offenders may be defined in many different ways, however they have more similarities than differences. • Sex Offender treatment requires good personal boundaries and firm clearly defined therapeutic boundaries. J. Michael Adler, PhD

19. Sex Offender Treatment • A team approach to addressing sex offenders is best. • The Containment model for sex offender treatment is considered the most effective model for treating and supervising sex offenders in the community. J. Michael Adler, PhD

20. Sex Offender Treatment • Sex Offender treatment utilizes confrontation. You must be able to confront and direct sex offenders into adaptive ways of coping with life issues and their deviancy. • Confrontation refers to making one aware; not fighting, intimidating, threatening, etc. J. Michael Adler, PhD

21. Sex Offender Treatment • There are definitive differences between treating sex offenders and other clinical populations J. Michael Adler, PhD