During the 1980's, public awareness of the existence of child sexual abuse increased and the result was heightened professional attention on the subject. The apparent increase in sex offending, however, did not translate directly into an increased probation officer caseload. Nonetheless, probation officers clearly viewed the problem of child sexual abuse as significant in terms of the risk sex offenders posed and the disproportionate amount of time spent on caseloads. In the 1980's, custody was increasingly used for sex offenders, and the Criminal Justice Act specifically identified violent and sex offenders as meriting harsher punishment on the grounds of public protection. At the same time, this act authorized greater community provision. Various approaches to sex offender treatment used by the Probation Service are reviewed, theoretical developments in sex offender treatment are examined, and the impact of theoretical developments on Probation Service sex offender projects and sentencing is explored. 26 references