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Abstract
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VioLit summary:
OBJECTIVE:
The aim of this study by Hagan et al. was to examine recidivism rates of adolescent male rapists who participated in a sex offender treatment program while incarcerated at a state juvenile correctional facility.
METHODOLOGY:
A quasi-experimental design was employed where youth participated in a treatment program and were followed for two years after the program. The subjects consisted of adolescent males who were convicted of a serious sexual assault and were placed in a state juvenile corrections facility, the Division of Youth Services at Ethan Allen School, in Wales, Wisconsin. The author noted that "a random selection of 50 subjects was taken from a total pool of 56 subjects for whom complete records were available" (p.143). These subjects completed treatment in the Stout Cottage Serious Sex Offenders Program (SSOP) from 1984 to 1989.
The major goals of the program were to reduce the likelihood of post-treatment sexual assault, and other criminal misbehavior. The program focused on group treatment where delinquent and sex offender issues were addressed using confrontational and supportive techniques. Crime was emphasized to be wrong, and completely unacceptable. The major constructs addressed were: (1) that the offender take responsibility for his offense, not deny or minimize it, (2) to increase an understanding of the factors that led up to the offense, (3) the offenders were taught to identify early warning signs or conditions that might contribute to acting out in the future, and (4) to increase the understanding of the feelings of the victims. The program staff produced an instrument containing approximately 150 questions which examined the subjects acceptance of responsibility of the criminal behavior, motivation for the sexual assault, and an exploration and examination of the youth's sexual experiences and attitudes. Each group consisted of eight youth who met for three one-hour sessions per week on average. Additionally, the youth participated in educational and vocational programs, as well as course work in sex education and human sexuality. Completion of the program was highly weighted in determining the youth's readiness to be released to the community; it took subjects an average of eight months to complete the program.
Success of the treatment was based on the post-treatment criminal records of the youth. The record clerks of the State of Wisconsin Department of Corrections central records office provided the youths criminal convictions as well as the dispositions of those convictions. The records included court convictions, whether the youth had been placed on probation, in a county jail, the house of corrections, or sent to a state correction facility.
FINDINGS/DISCUSSION:
The study found that a significant majority of the youth that participated in the program did not engage in sexual assault during the following two years, however a majority of the youth did engage in other criminal behavior. Specifically, of the fifty youth, 10% were reinvolved in a sexual assault, 58% were convicted of a non sexual crime, 38% were placed in institutional care, and 20% were placed under community supervision.
The author suggested that the program was successful in reducing recidivism rates for a sexual assault but not as successful for reducing recidivism of other criminal behavior for two years post-discharge. The author also noted that overall success of the program was difficult to assess for several reasons. First, the nature of the youth involved in the program was an important factor because recidivism rates and success were closely related to how deeply ingrained the criminal behavior pattern was. Second, treatment success depended on the question asked, for example there was a 58% failure rate for youth convicted of additional crimes, or a 10% failure rate for convictions of sexual assaults. Lastly, the author addressed whether their records of recidivism accurately represented perpetrations of assault. The author concluded that treatment with many of the youth could be effective, but should not be expected to solve all psychological and behavioral problems.
(CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado)
1980s
Wisconsin
Juvenile Inmate
Juvenile Male
Juvenile Offender
Juvenile Violence
Juvenile Treatment
Offender Treatment
Sexual Assault Offender
Sexual Assault Treatment
Treatment Program
Treatment Effectiveness Evaluation
Offender Recidivism
Recidivism Prevention
Correctional Institution Treatment
Correctional Institution Program
Juvenile Correctional Institution
Male Violence
Male Treatment
Male Offender
Male Inmate
Program Evaluation
Program Effectiveness
Inmate Treatment
Rape Offender
Rape Treatment
Violence Against Women
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