Promoting Community Safety Through Treatment for Sexual Offenders
James S. Prager, MSW | September 23 | 1:45-2:45 pm
Topic: Conceptual, Direct Service | Knowledge Level: Advanced
At the 2021 IHTSJ Conference, feedback indicated some people were unaware that treatment for people with pedophilia could be successfully managed. This presentation delves into the importance of treatment for individuals struggling with pedophilia. Robert Longo has listed 17 tasks which those with sexual offending behavior need to achieve for community safety. These tasks will be listed and how treatment promotes healing and safety will be discussed (Longo & Blanchard, 1998). Various programs both in the U.S. and elsewhere will be evaluated regarding treatment modalities. Interviews with clinicians, including Isabel Schilg and Matt Rosenberg, dealing with this population will also be featured as well as how success is defined. An additional component will be to examine the motivation offenders might have for seeking treatment, including involvement in the criminal justice system, family pressure, and voluntary admissions of deviant sexual urges. In addition, issues around mandatory reporting are also reviewed to clarify if these requirements both enhance and limit helping victims who are deserving of healing. The goal is not to discontinue mandatory reporting, but to determine any ways in which mandatory reporting can become a barrier. Clinicians working with survivors of child sexual abuse and human trafficking benefit from understanding this dilemma. Another component of this discussion is to examine how treating sexual perpetrators in a public health environment differs from the criminal methods used currently. The goal is to explore options and increase awareness of alternative methods to dealing with this critically important issue.
Presentation Objectives:
· Utilize the tasks of recovery outlined by Robert Longo to explore how accomplishing each task promotes community safety and healing
· Examine various therapeutic approaches and settings in which treatment for sexual predators takes place
· Examine ways in which voluntarily seeking help with sexually deviant urges can be an effective means of promoting community safety