Does treatment work with internet sex offenders? Emerging findings from the Internet Sex Offender Treatment Programme (i-SOTP)

Middleton, David; Mandeville-Norden, Rebecca; Hayes, Elisabeth

doi:10.1080/13552600802673444

Cited by 82 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Regarding treatment, this research indicates that while the reduction and management of deviant sexual interests are likely to remain pertinent treatment targets for CEM offenders, interventions targeting broader antisocial attitudes and behaviours are less likely to be warranted. Thus, these findings provide support for previously expressed reservations about the suitability of treating CEM offenders within traditional programmes, and suggest that the needs of these offenders are likely to be better met by specialized programmes designed specifically for this group (Gillespie et al, ; Middleton, Mandeville‐Norden, & Hayes, ; Seto, ). While a small number of such treatment programmes exist internationally (Beier et al, ; Gillespie et al, ; Middleton et al, ), data pertaining to their effect on offending outcomes is limited thus far, with further evaluative research required to ensure that any treatment gains demonstrated translate to a reduction in recidivism.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

“…Thus, these findings provide support for previously expressed reservations about the suitability of treating CEM offenders within traditional programmes, and suggest that the needs of these offenders are likely to be better met by specialized programmes designed specifically for this group (Gillespie et al, ; Middleton, Mandeville‐Norden, & Hayes, ; Seto, ). While a small number of such treatment programmes exist internationally (Beier et al, ; Gillespie et al, ; Middleton et al, ), data pertaining to their effect on offending outcomes is limited thus far, with further evaluative research required to ensure that any treatment gains demonstrated translate to a reduction in recidivism. Moreover, the findings of this research suggest that although content within existing treatment programmes is likely to be relevant to dual offenders, this group may also possess additional treatment needs that are specific to the online offending process.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

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Demographic, mental health, and offending characteristics of online child exploitation material offenders: A comparison with contact‐only and dual sexual offenders

Henshaw

Ogloff

Clough

2018

Behavioral Sci & The Law

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Technological advances have dramatically increased the ability to access, distribute and produce child exploitation material (CEM) online, resulting in increased numbers of individuals being charged with CEM offences. This study examined the demographic, mental health, and offending characteristics of CEM offenders (n = 456) in comparison to child contact sexual offenders (n = 493) and offenders with a history of both CEM and contact offences (dual offenders, n = 256). A robust data linkage methodology was employed to link records from statewide corrections services with policing and mental health records in Victoria, Australia. The results indicated that CEM offenders differed from both contact and dual offenders, and that the groups were primarily differentiated based on two factors: antisocial orientation and sexual deviance. CEM offenders demonstrated high rates of sexual deviance but low rates of antisociality, contact offenders exhibited the opposite pattern, and dual offenders had both high sexual deviance and antisociality. The findings suggest that existing sexual offender assessment and treatment frameworks are unlikely to be suitable for exclusive CEM offenders. The implications for future research are discussed.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Demographic, mental health, and offending characteristics of online child exploitation material offenders: A comparison with contact‐only and dual sexual offenders

Henshaw

Ogloff

Clough

2018

Behavioral Sci & The Law

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“…specific treatment programs for child sexual offenders (Lambie & Stew-anales de psicología, 2017, vol. 33, nº 3 (october) art, 2012) or Internet sex offenders (Herrero et al, 2015;Middleton, Mandeville-Norden, & Hayes, 2009)−, in order to respond to their particular therapeutical needs. Thus, additional primary research on new treatment approaches is required for future meta-analysis to identify which target groups respond best to specific techniques and which combination of treatments is most effective (Kim, Benekos & Merlo, 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of treatment on sex offenders’ recidivism: a meta-analysis.

Soldino

Carbonell-Vayá

2017

AN PSICOL-SPAIN

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Título: Efecto del tratamiento sobre la reincidencia de delincuentes sexuales: un meta-análisis. Resumen: Este meta-análisis tiene por objetivo medir el efecto del tratamiento en delincuentes sexuales. Tras una revisión sistemática de la literatura reciente, fueron seleccionados diecisiete estudios, contando con una muestra total de 6,681 delincuentes sexuales. Las tasas de reincidencia sexual (13.12% vs. 17.94%), violenta -incluyendo la sexual-(25.5% vs. 29.1%) y general -cualquier tipo de reincidencia-(46.53% vs. 52.41%) de los delincuentes tratados fueron inferiores a las de los grupos control. Se evidenció la eficacia del tratamiento en la reducción de las tasas de reincidencia sexual (OR = .69; p< .05) y general (OR = .66; p < .05) de los sujetos tratados, pero no en las tasas de reincidencia violenta. Estos resultados confirman la capacidad de los tratamientos psicológicos para reducir el riesgo de reincidencia sexual y general de los delincuentes sexuales. No obstante, la interpretación de tales resultados requiere cautela, pues el análisis independiente de los estudios con buena calidad metodológica no mostró efectos significativos del tratamiento. La necesidad de nuevos y mejores estudios resulta evidente, especialmente en Europa. Palabras clave: Delincuentes sexuales; Tratamiento; Reincidencia; Metaanálisis. Abstract:This meta-analysis has the aim of measuring the effect of treatment on sex offenders. After a systematic review of the recent literature, seventeen studies were selected, containing a total sample of 6,681 sex offenders. The rates of sexual recidivism (13.12% vs. 17.94%), violent -including sexual-(25.5% vs. 29.1%) and general -any type of recidivism-(46.53% vs. 52.41%) of treated offenders were less than those of the control groups. The effectiveness of the treatment was clear in reducing the rates of sexual (OR= .69; p < .05) and general (OR = .66; p < .05) recidivism of the subjects treated, but not the rates of violent recidivism. This results demonstrated the ability of psychological treatments for reducing the risk of sexual and general recidivism of sex offenders. However, the interpretation of such results requires caution, given that an independent analysis of the studies of a good methodological quality did not show significant effects of treatment. The need for new and better comparison studies to assess treatment effect is clear, especially in Europe.

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“…Child abuse images proliferated because technological advances lowered the cost of production of images, dramatically increased their availability and reduced the likelihood of those producing and possessing them being detected. By 2005, nearly one‐third of all sexual convictions in England and Wales were for internet‐related sexual offending (Middleton et al, ).…”

Section: Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Kent Internet Risk Assessment Tool, developed by Kent Police Service, measures the risk of contact offending by those who have downloaded child abuse images. The specially designed Internet Sex Offender Treatment Programme was accredited for use in the community in 2006 (Middleton et al, ). Relatively little research has been undertaken about how technology can be used to manage internet child sex offenders.…”

Section: Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Technology in Managing People Who Have Been Convicted of Internet Child Abuse Image Offences

Lilley

2016

Child Abuse Review

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The last 20 years have seen an explosion in the availability, ownership and use of devices used to access the internet. There has been a simultaneous increase in the number of people viewing child abuse images. The ease of access to this material online has removed a key inhibitor for offenders. Technology has facilitated the distribution of child abuse images, but is also used to prevent and identify offending, as well as to manage offenders. There is a range of technological tools currently used in England and Wales to manage those offenders who have been convicted of accessing child abuse images and who are living in the community. Some are specific to the computer as the situation of the crime. This article analyses the evidence base for each. The article concludes that each tool has features which might contribute to the management of internet child sex offenders, but that none have yet been proven or disproven to be effective. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages Technology to help manage the risk posed by internet child sex offenders is developing and may offer promise. None of these technological tools have been proven or disproven to be effective management tools for internet child sex offenders. Offender managers in the police and probation services should be mindful of this and not be overly reliant on them. Robust evaluations of these types of technology for these offenders are needed.

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Does treatment work with internet sex offenders? Emerging findings from the Internet Sex Offender Treatment Programme (i-SOTP)

Cited by 82 publications

References 19 publications

Demographic, mental health, and offending characteristics of online child exploitation material offenders: A comparison with contact‐only and dual sexual offenders

Demographic, mental health, and offending characteristics of online child exploitation material offenders: A comparison with contact‐only and dual sexual offenders

Effect of treatment on sex offenders’ recidivism: a meta-analysis.

The Role of Technology in Managing People Who Have Been Convicted of Internet Child Abuse Image Offences

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