The paper focuses on critical issues and challenges concerning: prevention of sexually aggressive behavior; inter-agency collaboration; groupwork programs for adult offenders; eligibility levels regarding services for adolescent offenders; and professional issues. The paper discusses, among other topics: public attitudes and public policy; changing attitudes to corporal punishment and punitive child rearing; inter-professional collaboration; understanding drive and motivation in assessing level of risk; and working with the family. The paper identifies key areas for further investigation, including: (1) the need to prevent punitive parenting in early childhood; (2) the importance of healthy intra-agency processes as a foundation for effective inter-agency working; (3) ensuring careful selection of clients for groupwork programs; (4) developing a tiered set of service thresholds for adolescent offenders; and (5) the need to sustain the emotional responsiveness of staff. Figures, references