The therapeutic management of child sex offenders

Abstract

Child sexual abuse (CSA) and child sex offenders have always been amongst us, but it was not until the mid-1980s that policymakers, journalists, educators and also the wider public began to be more preoccupied with their presence. This has arguably resulted in a moral panic relating to sex offenders in general but also to child sex offenders in particular. This has been heightened further by the News of the World’s naming and shaming campaign in 2002, the subsequent riots on the Paulsgrove estate in Portsmouth and in more recent years the uncovering of a number of celebrity child sex offenders including Jimmy Saville, Rolf Harris and Max Clifford. In such circumstances, it has been common for the media to use the term paedophile to cover all those who commit sexual offences against children. The media have also contributed to a sense of insecurity and fear amongst the public with tabloids and broadsheets spreading the message that child sex offenders are dangerous and cannot be treated. This chapter takes the reader on a journey of critical analysis through the challenges in the management of this offender group, asking the reader to contemplate what may actually be the most appropriate way of managing risk.