The development of a sex offender assessment and treatment service within a community learning disability team (The SHEALD Project): part 2

Abstract

PurposeThis is the second of two papers which aims to describe the development of a sex offender assessment and treatment service for men with intellectual disability (ID) within a community ID service. The first paper by McBrien et al. in 2010 described the mapping of need, the assessment methods and results.Design/methodology/approachThis paper describes how decisions were made about whether or not to enrol 20 assessed men on group treatment and outlines the treatment group and outcomes.FindingsNone of the seven men who completed treatment had committed a further sexual offence at 12‐24 months follow‐up. Other outcomes are discussed including the outcomes for the men who did not start or complete treatment. The available measures are not sufficiently sophisticated to detect change in individuals.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the literature that describes the assessment and treatment of men with an ID who have committed sexually harmful behaviours. It describes one community service's response to the complex needs of this client group.