Sex offender treatment
Sex offender treatment programs, usually mandated by courts, prisons, or parole or probation departments, consist of cognitive-behavioral treatment and pharmacological (hormonal) treatment and cognitive-behavioral treatment. The latter is usually provided in a group setting and focuses on treating the cognitive distortions, lack of victim empathy, denial of the offense, and "deviant" sexual preferences of the sex offender. Studies show that any effect of treatment is modest, at best; that treatment works best for the tiny minority of very high-risk offenders, while possibly aggravating risk for the broad majority of men at lower risk of recidivism; and that older offenders, due mainly to their very low risk, derive no tangible benefits from treatment.[1]
Sex offender treatment providers usually say that sex offending cannot be cured, but can only be controlled. They usually regard sex offenders as dishonest, manipulative, and prone to denial, justification, intellectualizing, and minimization.[2] Sex offenders may find themselves forced to tell lies, to reveal history or views they would like to keep quiet, and to feign views they do not believe on, in order to complete the program and avoid the negative consequences of "failing" (like being denied parole, being sent to or returned to prison).
Some different kinds of sex offender treatment are cognitive-behavioral treatment, relapse prevention, the self-regulation model, and the good lives model.[3]
The shameless, self-interested collaboration of psychologists with the "sex offender teeatment industry" is scandalous. It brings to mind the misuse of insane asylums in the former Soviet Union: anyone who does not see the wondrous benefits of communism is mentally ill. Mandatory treatment of those who do not need it, and are not seeking it, is unprofessional at best.
Drug offender treatment is frequently led by former drug users. Sex offender treatment is never provided by former sex offenders.
