NCJ Number
110641
Journal
Interchange Dated: (June 1987) Pages: 1-4
Date Published
1987
Length
4 pages
Annotation
A task group of sex offender specialists in Washington State found that the sexual interest cardsort has a legitimate use as an information-gathering tool to augment treatment of the adolescent sex offender.
Abstract
A sexual interest cardsort consists of a number of 3 x 5 cards on which short descriptions of sexual scenes are printed. Offenders subjectively rate each card according to how arousing they find it to be. A rating process is implemented and scores are plotted on a graph. There are two groups of clients to whom the cardsort is administered: (1) those whose behavior clearly warrants the use of behavioral treatment interventions and (2) those for whom there is a more serious disturbance than has previously been documented. The primary advantage of the cardsort is that it can assist in identifying an offender's interest in a number of behaviors which are hard to elicit in an interview face to face. Three concerns were expressed regarding the use of this tool: (1) no version of it has been validated with an adolescent population, (2) it may instill dangerous or deviant thoughts in the minds of offenders because of the graphic language used to describe sexual behavior, and (3) fear of public reaction. As a result, restrictions were established on the type of clients with whom the cardsort may be used. Also, several restrictions and accountability procedures were developed for staff members to avoid misinterpretation of the results.