NCJ Number: 164137
Title: Utility of Relapse Prevention in Treatment of Sexual Abusers
Journal: Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment Volume:8 Issue:3 Dated:(July 1996) Pages:223-230
Author(s): W D Pithers; A S Gray
Date Published: 1996
Page Count: 8
Type: Program/Project Evaluation
Format: Article
Language: English
Country: United States of America
Annotation: This paper explains the use of relapse prevention (RP) for sex offenders to structure other treatment components and argues that specific deficits of sex offenders must be remedied prior to the relapse prevention group; the use of relapse prevention groups is described, and the authors suggest that the supervisory component may be a critical factor in treatment effectiveness.
Abstract: RP has been extensively modified for use with sexual abusers. Although initially used with only adult sex offenders, modifications to the basic RP model have been made for juvenile abusers, children with sexual behavior problems, and intellectually low-functioning offenders. In addition to its original role as a method of enhancing self-management, RP is currently used to organize the selection and sequence of other treatment components relevant to a client's specific risk factors. Depending on the age of the abuser, it has also been used as a means of increasing the effectiveness of the supervision of sexual abusers by criminal justice workers, juvenile probation officers, and child protection agents. Most outcome research shows that RP is an effective approach with sexual abusers (Maletzky, 1991; Marshal and Barbaree, 1988, 1990; Marshall, Jones, Ward, Johnston, and Barbaree, 1991; Pithers and Cumming, 1989); however, more emphasis must be given to identifying interventions that enhance the abuser's motivation to continue using this approach in his daily life. The authors are not aware of any study that examines the long-term recidivism of offenders treated under the RP model once they have been released from probation or parole. It is thus too early to determine whether the efficacy of RP is attributable to enhanced self- management, more effective supervision by criminal justice and social services agents, or to both. 23 references
Main Term(s): Criminology
Index Term(s): Crime causes theory; Crime specific countermeasures; Recidivism causes; Sex offender treatment; Sex offenders; Sex offense causes; Sex offenses; Sexual behavior
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