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Juvenile Sexual Offenders - A Family Systems Paradigm (From Adolescent Sex Offenders - Issues in Research and Treatment, P 164-174, 1985, Emeline M Otey and Gail D Ryan, eds. )

NCJ Number
103165
Author(s)
W Smith; W Smith
Date Published
1985
Length
12 pages
Annotation
The 7-year-old Juvenile Sexual Offender Program has provided evaluation and treatment services to over 600 adolescents referred by Washington State child protective services and juvenile court.
Abstract
The program uses a conceptual model that considers the juvenile sex offender within a developmental framework and a family systems model. Assessment involves testing and 4 hours of clinical interviews that include parents and siblings. Factors assessed include psychological and personality characteristics, family functioning, cognitive functioning, behavior problems, and the characteristics of the offense. Group therapy is process-oriented and centers on offenders' emotional and cognitive understanding of the offense behavior. Concurrent family therapy focuses on facilitating family flexibility, role boundaries, cohesiveness, and nurturance. Appendixes include sexual offense assessment questions, a list of family issues addressed, and clinical guidelines used for risk assessment and determining the appropriateness of community versus residential treatment. 26 references.