Regional Treatment Centre High Intensity Sex Offender Treatment Program (Canada)
Life periods served
Country of application
Description

This is a psychotherapeutic treatment for sex offenders who have just been released from prison. The aim is to reduce recidivism and provide treatment for mental disorders.
The intervention is structured in two components: self-regulation and the development of social skills, lasting three to four months.
The program offers group and 1:1 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focused on relapse prevention and consists of:
1) Sex education;
2) Training in social and emotional skills, such as assertiveness and self-control; and
3) Application of techniques such as aversion therapy, confrontation, covert sensitization, roleplay, and supportive psychotherapy.

Impact evaluations

An impact evaluation found no significant difference in sexual recidivism rates between the treatment group and the comparison group [1].

Bibliographic reference

[1] Abracen, J., Looman, J., Ferguson, M., Harkins, L. & Mailloux, D. (2011). Recidivism among treated sexual offenders and comparison subjects: Recent outcome data from the Regional Treatment Centre (Ontario) high-intensity Sex Offender Treatment Programme. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 17(2), 142–152. https://doi.org/10.1080/13552600903511980

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