A Review of the Use of Therapeutic Communities With Sexual Offenders

Abstract

Sexual offender treatment programs are often facilitated in secure settings such as prisons or psychiatric hospitals, which are not ideal environments for such treatment.Arguably, however, when these environments are structured as therapeutic communities (TCs), opportunities are created to enhance the effectiveness of treatment. We describe the concept of a therapeutic community, its operating principles and rationale, as well as the benefits and rationale for establishing TCs in conjunction with cognitive behavioral treatment with sexual offenders. We discuss this in terms of the potential of TCs to improve targeting of treatment content; to enhance treatment process; to provide optimal environments for therapeutic gain; and to provide a broad therapeutic framework for treating sexual offenders. We review and summarize what evidence exists for the use of TCs with both non-sexual offenders and sexual offenders. Finally, we highlight the gaps in our knowledge of the use of TCs in order to inspire further empirical and conceptual consideration of these issues .

“A different world” exploring and understanding the climate of a recently re-rolled sexual offender prison

“…The importance of time spent outside of treatment sessions has been discussed within the literature (see Frost & Connolly, 2004). The progress prisoners make within treatment sessions can be encouraged and maintained whilst in the wider prison environment (Ware et al, 2009 The transferability of programme awareness onto the wing environment then is something that emerged as important for the prison moving forward. There was a perceived need for the prison as a whole to 'read from the same hymn sheet' where a rehabilitative culture is promoted from 'all angles of the prison'.…”

A journey beyond the bars: Participants' experiences of psychological treatment in a prison setting

“…The TC sparked a systemic move away from an atmosphere dominated by containment, to one enlightened by the curative processes of therapeutic engagement. According to Ware, Frost and Hoy (2009), an appropriately functioning TC enables the intensity of the therapeutic experience to extend beyond the finite restrictions of the classroom/intervention room and into the broader treatment setting.…”

“…This is due, predominantly, to one of the fundamental objectives of the TC, which is to assist its target population in developing functional real-world life-skills. These skills are achieved through the development and implementation of an interim social setting that parallels the dynamics of real-world (post-release) living and is put into practice through the day-to-day enactment of the key suppositions of the TC (discussed above) (Ware et al, 2009). Dolan (2003), citing Clark (1965), identifies a clear distinction within the TC discourse, that of the TC proper and the TC approach.…”

“…However, the international research community (Cullen, 1993, Cullen, 1994, Newton, 1997, Rawlings, 1998 has returned positive results for prison units operating in accordance with the TC approach. Ware et al (2009) contend that the primary goal of the penal TC is to facilitate an environment which creates a state of equipoise between autonomy and dependence (interdependence), one in which personal growth can flourish and the relative freedoms participants experience enable them to make the types of mistakes and discoveries that will serve them well in later, post-release, situations. Clearly, the prison must be corrective and the clients afforded every opportunity to remain on track with their treatment targets; therefore, any correctional aspects of treatment must emanate from within the group and be mediated through the group, thereby enabling the individual to experience a direct sense of accountability (Ware et al).…”

“…Accordingly, those persons overseeing the TC approach must ensure that participants benefit from a blend of autonomy and dependence (Ware et al, 2009). Participants must experience those therapeutic conditions which encourage them to take responsibility for their own conduct and support one another on their individual journeys of self discovery.…”