NCJ Number
162513
Date Published
Unknown
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This paper examines the issues involved in treatment options for adolescent sex offenders.
Abstract
Statistics indicate that early detection and intervention with child and adolescent offenders dramatically lowers the rate of recidivism. However, for any State to succeed in this effort there must be a coordinated system of continued care, education, identification, reporting, judicial, and social services. In general, the treatment process can be extremely effective when courts are involved; the prospect of jail as the alternative to treatment can expedite the process of breaking through denial and resistance. There is a brief description of the Shadow Mountain Institute adolescent offender treatment program with a list of patient characteristics. In general, treatment issues include: (1) coordinated community assessment and treatment services for victims, offenders, and their families; (2) a long-term public awareness campaign aimed at preserving the innocence of children; (3) educational programs promoting healthy values with regard to human sexuality, parenting, and human relations; (4) pre-sentence mandated treatment options for offenders who admit responsibility; (5) educational workshops for judicial system personnel; (6) inservice training programs for physicians, therapists, and frontline workers; and (7) consultation/networking among clinicians. References