Legal Perspectives on the Rehabilitation of Sex Offenders: Efficacy, Ethical Considerations, and the Pursuit of Recidivism Reduction

Abstract

This dissertation critically examines the efficacy of group-based therapeutic interventions for sex offenders within correctional facilities, aiming to enhance rehabilitation and reduce recidivism. Despite contemporary treatment paradigms demonstrating some effectiveness, as indicated by lower recidivism rates among treated offenders, the success of these programs is not uniform, prompting a need for reevaluation. Treatment challenges include infrastructural limitations, the need for individualized approaches due to offenders' diverse psychosocial profiles, and the complexity of achieving group cohesion. Furthermore, high dropout rates and short assessment periods undermine the establishment of evidence-based practices. The dissertation advocates for a stratified approach to therapy, recognizing individual psychological profiles and tailoring treatment accordingly. It calls for advancements in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) methodologies within Sex Offender Treatment Programs (SOTPs), considering ethical dimensions of interventions such as chemical castration, and employing Multisystemic Therapy (MST) with biometric monitoring to better assess and manage recidivism risks. This synthesis of academic literature and analysis of programmatic limitations highlights the necessity of refining sex offender rehabilitation to ensure public safety effectively.