PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENT IS IN PARTICULAR DIRECTED AT REPEAT OR POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS OFFENDERS. THE TREATMENT OF SEXUAL OFFENDERS THROUGH MEDICATION DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE PATIENTS' SEXUAL LIBIDO IS THE LEAST SERIOUS ENCROACHMENT ON THE INDIVIDUAL'S FREEDOM. IT IS USED IF THE PATIENT IS SEVERELY LIMITED IN HIS ACTIVITIES THROUGH HIS SEXUAL DEVIANCY AND SHOWS AN AWARENESS OF HIS PERSONA PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH CASTRATION IS STILL THE MOST EFFECTIVE FORM OF TREATMENT, FEW OFFENDERS CONSENT TO IT BECAUSE OF ITS IRREVERSIBILITY AND ITS CRIPPLING PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS; HOWEVER, IF THE OPERATION IS UNDERTAKEN AT A MATURE AGE THE SIDE EFFECTS ARE FAR LESS SERIOUS THAN WITH YOUNGER CASTRATES. AMONG VARIOUS FORMS OF PSYCHOTHERAPY, BEHAVIORAL THERAPY, WHICH ATTEMPT TO ELIMINATE NEUROTIC BEHAVIOR MANIFESTATIONS WITHOUT ALTERING AN INDIVIDUAL'S ENTIRE PSYCHOLOGICAL MAKE-UP, HAS PROVED TO BE THE QUICKEST AND MOST COST EFFECTIVE METHOD. GROUP THERAPY, ANOTHER PROMISING TREATMENT TECHNIQUE, IS ALMOST NEVER USED DUE TO THE LACK OF QUALIFIED THERAPISTS AND THE PATIENTS' UNWILLINGNESS TO EXPRESS THEIR PROBLEMS IN FRONT OF A GROUP. STEREOTACTICAL OPERATIONS WHICH INFLUENCE SEXUAL CONTROL CENTERS IN THE BRAIN HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO BE EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE ON ANIMALS, BUT HAVE RARELY BEEN TRIED ON OFFENDERS DUE TO MEDICAL RESERVATIONS AND THE OFFENDERS' AVERSION AGAINST HEAD OPERATIONS. ALL SEXUAL OFFENDERS ARE THEORETICALLY TREATABLE; IN PRACTICE, HOWEVER, OFFENDERS MUST HAVE AN ACTIVE WILLINGNESS TO BE TREATED, A WILLINGNESS WHICH IS NOT OFTEN ENCOURAGED BY A STAY IN A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. THE ARTICLE CONTAINS A BIBLIOGRAPHY. --IN GERMAN. (SAJ)