Community Maintenance Programs for Sexual Offenders

Abstract

While optimism regarding the treatment of sexual offenders has increased over the past couple of decades, research into the factors that assist offenders in maintaining therapeutic changes remains in the dark. Maintenance programs for offenders, while theoretically appearing to have a solid place in offender rehabilitation, surprisingly have not been explored in detail with very little information or research examining the operationalization of such programs. The present article briefly reviews the literature available and poses some of the outstanding conceptual and practical issues regarding maintenance programs, such as program duration, intensity, content, and format.

KEYWORDS:

• aftercare
• booster sessions
• maintenance programs
• sex offenders
• throughcare
• treatment efficacy