Counting the Cost: Estimating the Economic Benefit of Pedophile Treatment Programs

• NCJ Number: 205868
• Journal: Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 25 Issue: 4 Dated: April 2001 Pages: 541-555
• Author(s): Martin Shanahan; Ron Donato
• Date Published: April 2001
• Length: 15 pages
• Grant Number(s): 23/96-7
• Sponsoring Agency: Australian Research Council
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This Australian study calculated the economic costs and benefits of inmate pedophile treatment programs, with attention to both the tangible and intangible cost to victims of sexual abuse.

Abstract

The study focused on the relative costs and benefits of implementing an intensive, in-prison pedophile treatment program in South Australia. Data sources included South Australian records on child sexual abuse prevalence, Australian data on tangible benefits and treatment program costs, and international sources for estimating intangible benefits. In addition, international research on program efficacy and recidivism rates were combined with reported estimates of victims per offender to produce a range of net outcomes that measure the net benefit of pedophile treatment programs. The underlying principles applied in the Australian context can also be implemented in other countries and with alternative treatment programs. The cost estimates took into account a number of variables, including the range of possible recidivism rates for treatment programs; the uncertainty regarding the number of child sexual molestation offenses committed by recidivists; and the methodological problems associated with estimating the intangible costs for victims of sexual abuse. The findings of this exploratory work suggest that despite the difficulties posed by lack of data, reasonable cost-benefit estimates suggest the magnitude of the problem of child sexual abuse generally, along with the rate of offending by recidivists, inflicts significant tangible and intangible (psychological suffering and long-term health issues) costs on victims and their families. The effectiveness of appropriate in-prison pedophile cognitive therapy treatment programs is such that they can reduce recidivism and thus reduce the number of victims and the potential costs associated with victimization. A net benefit to society can thus be achieved by such treatment programs. A critical area of future research should include further methodological developments in estimating the quantitative impact of child sexual abuse in the community. 3 tables and 29 references