Safer Society
Press With the passage of sexual predator laws in a number of states the assessment and treatment of sexual offenders acquires an urgency and significance it did not have earlier. The Supreme Court has ruled that the laws committing people in a civil procedure after they have completed their sentence conforms to the Constitution so long as the purpose is treatment aimed at recovery. This allows an individual to be released from confinement when there is a judgment by the courts, informed by mental health experts, that treatment has been successful and the community will not be at greater risk if the person is released from custody. These laws and the rulings put the assessment and treatment of sexual offenders squarely in the middle of this major social issue. There is not much solid knowledge about either assessment or treatment. Therefore, there is high interest and need for a book such as this one that reviews the field, provides current scientifically sound knowledge, and offers guidance on where to go and how to take the best possible shot at doing a responsible professional job of assessment and treatment. Unfortunately, with the exception of the two chapters by William Marshall, there is little current scientific knowledge available in the balance of the book. Listing the references by date shows there are 143 citations from articles from 1970 - 1989; 145 from 1990 -1994; and 81 from 1995 - 1998. Many of the citations from 1992 - 1996 are repeated citations of articles by one of the editors, Mark Carich, that appeared in non peer reviewed newsletters or unpublished material. Consequently, not much current research is either referred to or reviewed. Therefore the book does not present a balanced view of the current state of the data relevant to assessment and treatment of sexual offenders. The two chapters by Marshall are the best in the book and are clear in presenting the evidence for effective treatment as non confrontational, respectful, encouraging self respect, a belief that changes can be made, and using primarily positive reinforcement to bring about desired changes. The balance of the chapters present the opinions and experience of professionals who have been involved in treatment and assessment for some time but are weak in the empirical evidence given to support the concepts advanced. The book may help to understand where assessment and treatment of sexual offenders have been but it will not give much help in seeing where it is now and where it needs to go. It will not be of much assistance in aiding those responsible to improve the accuracy and reliability of their judgments when dealing with a specific offender who is to be treated or is eligible for release. Reviewed by Ralph Underwager, Institute for Psychological Therapies.
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