Citation

Woodrow AC, Bright DA. Int. J. Offender Ther. Comp. Criminol. 2011; 55(1): 43-55.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0306624X09352162

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article reports an evaluation of a New South Wales Department of Corrective Services custody-based treatment programme for adult male sexual offenders. A risk band analysis was used to compare observed and predicted sexual and violent recidivism rates in a sample of 117 treated and released offenders. Risk bands and predicted recidivism were determined using the Static-99 risk assessment measure. Results demonstrated that during an average follow-up period of 3.75 years, observed sexual recidivism rates were lower than Static-99 predictions for the overall sample (8.5% vs. 26%). The same pattern was observed for violent recidivism (12.8% vs. 36%). At each Static-99 level of risk (low, low—moderate, moderate—high, and high), observed sexual and violent recidivism rates were lower than predicted rates. These findings were consistent with the general consensus that well-implemented cognitive—behavioural treatment can have a positive effect on offending behaviour.