THE ECHO GLEN CHILDREN'S CENTER SEX OFFENDER PROGRAM WAS INITIATED AFTER A 1975 EXAMINATION OF DATA ON WASHINGTON JUVENILE OFFENDERS SHOWED THAT LACK OF AGREEMENT ON IDENTITY OF SEX OFFENDERS IN CUSTODY RESULTED IN FREQUENT NEGLECT OF TREATMENT TARGETING SEX OFFENSES. TO MITIGATE EFFECTS OF THIS INADEQUACY, THE ECHO GLEN CENTER DEVELOPED A PROGRAM INVOLVING INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING AND GROUP THERAPY FOR THE SEX OFFENDER. TWO GROUPS TOTALING 16 ADOLESCENT BOYS HAVE COMPLETED 20 HOURS OF GROUP THERAPY. OFFENSES FOR WHICH THE BOYS WERE INCARCERATED INCLUDED INDECENT LIBERTIES, STATUTORY RAPE, INCEST, RAPE, AND OTHER OFFENSES. PRETESTING AND POSTTESTING USING THE JESNESS INVENTORY SUGGESTED THAT THERE WERE POSITIVE ATTITUDINAL CHANGES IN THESE BOYS, BUT RESULTS WERE INCONCLUSIVE. EVALUATIONS BY GROUP COLEADERS BASED ON MEMBERS' GROUP BEHAVIOR AND PRE AND POST GROUP INTERVIEWS HAVE INDICATED A LOWER RISK OF FUTURE SEXUAL OFFENSES BY THOSE INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM. IN RECENT MONTHS, OTHER RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES IN WASHINGTON HAVE BEGUN STAFF TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR COUNSELING SEX OFFENDERS. THE NEXT STEP TO FURTHER SERVICES FOR ADOLESCENT SEX OFFENDERS WILL BE FOLLOWUP COMMUNITY COUNSELING FOR RESIDENTS ON PAROLE. COUNSELING SHOULD NOT END WHEN A CHILD'S SENTENCE IS COMPLETE, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE SOME SEX OFFENDERS HAVE SHORT SENTENCES WHICH DO NOT PERMIT ADEQUATE TIME FOR THERAPY. IN THE COMMUNITY THE OFFENDER FACES CONDITIONS SIMILAR TO THOSE IN WHCIH HE FIRST COMMITTED A SEX OFFENSE. ACCESS TO ONGOING COUNSELING SHOULD HELP HANDLE THESE HIGH RISK SITUATIONS. (CFW)