The child molester, usually male, is a significantly older person whose conscious sexual interests and overt sexual behaviors are directed either partially or exclusively towards prepubertal children. The child molester is searching through sex for something that goes beyond sex: mastery, validation, recognition, and acceptance. Since such sexual behavior cannot ultimately resolve the underlying issues nor meet the unfulfilled needs, it becomes repetitive or compulsive. Generally, the clinical picture that emerges is of an immature individual whose pedophilic behavior compensates for his relative helplessness in meeting adult bio-psycho-social life demands. Treatment -- chemotherapy, behavior modification, psychotherapy, or psychosocial education -- should be tailored to the specific needs and abilities of clients. Three major issues -- aggression, sexuality, and interpersonal relations -- must be addressed. Confirming the offender's perceptions of adults as hostile and punitive only reinforces the attraction to children. Humanistic attitudes toward the offender are needed. Prison settings may reinforce the fear, distrust, and avoidance of adults and may encourage the seeking out of children. Where incarceration is required, a security treatment center specifically for sex offenders is preferable to a conventional correctional institution or prison. A table presents the typology of child molesters, and four suggested readings are listed.