Understanding Treatment for Adults and Juveniles Who Have Committed Sex Offenses

Specialized treatment has been a mainstay of sex offender management approaches for several decades. In recent years, however, the heightened attention to sex crimes and its impact on victims and communities has resulted in a push for more punitive responses to the individuals who commit these crimes, including lengthier periods of confinement, tighter residency restrictions, expanded registration and community notification laws, and enhanced surveillance and monitoring strategies. The widespread focus on these types of “get tough” strategies consequently has begun to overshadow the important role of treatment in sex offender management efforts.