part0030

Readers who are interested in the current state of sex offender treatment can obtain information from a variety of sources. Readers are reminded, however, that the results are at best equivocal regarding the effectiveness of typical sex offender treatment programs. The Safer Society Press (http://www.safersociety.org ) regularly conducts a survey of sex offender treatment providers that provides a snapshot of the number of programs in residential (prison, residential treatment center, and inpatient unit) and community settings, the number of programs serving adolescent or adult sex offenders, assessment measures, treatment approach, and treatment components (e.g., whether phallometric testing is conducted). The Safer Society Press also produces a range of treatment-related workbooks and manuals and a referral directory of service providers.

The Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (ATSA) is the largest international association of professionals involved in the prevention of sexual abuse, including sex offender treatment providers, probation and parole officers, law enforcement agents, and victim advocates (http://www.atsa.com ). The association has produced standards and guidelines that members agree to follow in their practices and also provides a referral directory for service providers. The majority of its members are from the United States, followed by Canada and the United Kingdom. Another international organization is the International Association for the Treatment of Sexual Offenders (IATSO), which has also produced a document regarding sex offender standards of care (IATSO, 2000). Compared with the ATSA, a higher proportion of the IATSO’s membership is from outside North America.

A great deal of the research on assessment and treatment of sex offenders has been conducted in Canada with the support of national agencies such as the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) and the ministry of Public Safety Canada (PSC). (Why this is so would be an interesting subject for a sociological or historical dissertation.) In 1996, the CSC produced a set of national standards for correctional sex offender treatment programs based on research, consultation with experts, and the input of various stakeholders (see CSC, 1996). General standards for correctional programs are also available (see CSC, 2003). Similar national standards have been established in the United Kingdom through cross-collaboration. Research reports and briefs are available from the CSC (http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca ) and PSC (http://www.publicsafety.ca ) Web sites.

In the United States, the Center for Sex Offender Management (http://www.csom.org ) was established in 1997 by the Department of Justice as a clearinghouse for information, training, and technical assistance. Another national agency that provides information about reporting child sexual abuse, prevention efforts, and available resources is the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (http://www.missingkids.com ). Additional information on prevention efforts is available through Stop It Now! (http://www.stopitnow.com ).