Male Adolescent Sex Offender Group

Population served/Target Population: 

Adolescent males, ages generally ranging from  14-18 years.

Estimated Duration for Program Completion: Approximately 1 ½ to 2 years.

Admission Criteria: 

1. Entrance to this group is determined through an interview with the lead group therapist.
2. Must meet age requirements: 14-18 years. 
3. Persons are excluded based on some criteria:
1. Have a thought disorder.
2. Intellectual functioning falls into the low borderline or mental retardation range.
3. Denies offending behavior AND is not adjudicated.  
4. Generally participants should have been adjudicated, or in the process, for sexually offending behavior.
5. Generally persons should possess basic reading and writing skills due to written homework requirements, but accommodations can be made address difficulties in these areas.
6. Participants should possess some ability to interact with age similar peers in a non-aggressive fashion. 

General Treatment Plan Goals:

1. Refrain from sexually abusive behavior for duration of treatment.
2. Gain insight into factors contributing to offending behavior.
3. Gain insight into factors specific to offending behavior.
4. Develop victim empathy skills; develop an understanding of impacts of offending behavior on others. 
5. Establish and implement a plan of relapse prevention.
6. Develop and implement safety planning skills
7. Develop healthy sexual identity, including understanding of healthy sexual behavior and functioning.
8. Improve social skills and social interactions with age appropriate peers.

Other more specific goals can be added to an individuals treatment plan based on individual issues, including substance abuse. 

Model of Treatment:

The treatment approach to this group follows a primarily cognitive-behavioral model, with some insight-oriented focus as well.  This approach is based on the belief that members can develop some understanding and basis for new skills through insight, but successful treatment depends on the development and implementation of new skills to facilitate a long-term plan of recovery.  The group approach offers members a safe place to learn and practice new skills with peers.  Individual sessions are conducted as needed, adjunct to group sessions, to assist with group assignments and to address additional therapy goals.

Performance/Discharge criteria:

          Successful completion of the group is based on the adolescent's performance on the group assignments as well as other treatment goals.  Generally, this includes having completed all homework assignments and having demonstrated an ability to implement new skills outside of sessions.  Attempts are made to monitor the adolescents performance by review and discussion of their assignments and consultation with others involved in their life such as parents, foster parents, case workers, probation officers, school representatives, etc.  Successful discharge does not guarantee no new offending behavior.  It indicates members have gained maximum benefit from the program include knowing personal risks and when to return to counseling should new problems arise.  Completion of the program is not based on attending a set number of sessions or attending for a pre-determined length of time.

        There are certain performance expectations for this group, including following group rules of conduct.  Absolutely no fighting or other illegal activity of any kind is tolerated.  Members are expected to participate in the group process as part of compliance with treatment.  Efforts are made to help members work through anxieties that may interfere with participation.  If members have to be removed from group sessions on a continual basis due to disruptive behavior, they can be removed from the group for a fixed period of time or permanently based on individual issues.

Payments Accepted:

Acceptable payment includes Medicaid, insurance, and self-payment.  Persons should check with their insurance carriers to determine payment eligibility.  Although insurance may sometimes pay for this service, the extended duration of this program has sometimes exceeded the limits of third-party providers.  It is best to check with your insurance agency and our billing office to clarify these issues prior to receiving services.

Contact Person:  Scott Craft, Ph.D.

Last modified: December 23, 2007