A community treatment model for adolescents who sexually harm: Diverting youth from criminal justice to therapeutic responses.

Abstract

The costs of treating youth who sexually harm others can exceed $200,000 Australian (US$220,000) per annum when they are placed in a residential type facility in either Australia or North America. Following the financial meltdown of the past two years, North American based residential-style programs have found themselves under increasing financial pressure, with some well-known facilities in the U.S. having closed their doors. Other facilities have experienced drops in their referral numbers of up to 50%, resulting in substantial staff lay-offs, and shorter lengths of stay for clients. Community-based programs can offer a low-cost alternative model of treatment that may match or exceed the success and recidivism rates achieved through facility-based residential treatment, dependent on sound assessment and consideration of the viability of the young person to: a) continue to reside in the community, and b) to continue to reside in their family home while undertaking treatment. This article describes the state-wide community-based Sexually Abusive Behavior Treatment Services (SABTS) operating in Victoria, Australia, driven by the legislatively innovative Therapeutic Treatment Order (TTO) model in effect since 2007. This program, delivered to children and adolescents aged 10-14, is currently being extended to the 15-17 year age group due to its success in accomplishing its goals. The effectiveness of the program demonstrates the capacity to design and implement treatment programs that are able to safely keep and treat young persons with sexually harmful behavior in the community, and at a far reduced cost when compared to residential treatment costs, and with similar to lower sexual recidivism rates. Language: en