NCJ Number
186905
Date Published
April 1999
Length
76 pages
Annotation
This report provides an overview of the work of the Eastern Townships Sex Abuse and Violence Intervention Centre (Quebec, Canada) in its treatment of juvenile sex offenders.
Abstract
The report addresses client characteristics; the factors that lead youth to commit sex offenses; the youth sex offender program; a list of the members of the treatment team; the workshops that compose the program; the program evaluation; statistics on clients treated; the approach used; and the treatment methods that might be used in the future. The youthful sex offenders involved in the program are mostly male and average 15 years of age. Most of the offenses involve assaults on females, with the age difference between the victim and the offender ranging from 6 to 12 years. Factors that contribute to the offenses include lack of social skills, anger and the need to control others, developmental delays, misconceptions about sexuality and interpersonal relations, exposure to violence and alcohol and drug abuse, and being themselves victims of sexual assault. The average length of treatment is 6 to 8 months. The main body of the program is divided into three components: sex education, social skills, and recidivism prevention. Each component consists of a series of workshops. The treatment is based in reality-choice therapy. Appended psychological tests and assessments, an assessment form and guide to using it, and outlines of the workshops