Research Department, Mental Health Centre Penetanguishene, Penetanguishene, Ontario L9M 1G3, Canada
Address for correspondence: Marnie E. Rice, Research Department, Mental Health Centre Penetanguishene, 500 Church Street, Penetanguishene, Ontario L9M 1G3, Canada. Voice: 705-549-3181, ext. 2614; fax: 705-549-3652.
riceme{at}mcmaster.ca
Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 989: 428-440 (2003).
We review scientific criteria for the minimally useful evaluation
of psychosocial treatment for sex offenders. The Association
for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers recently supported a meta-analysis
(Hanson et al., 2002) of the effectiveness of psychological
treatment for sex offenders. It was concluded that current treatments
for sex offenders reduce recidivism. In this chapter, we reevaluate
the evidence. Whereas the random assignment studies yielded
results that provided no evidence of treatment effectiveness,
Hanson et al. reviewed approximately a dozen others (called
"incidental assignment" studies), which yielded substantial
positive results for treatment. Upon close inspection, we conclude
that such designs involve noncomparable groups and are too weak
to be used to draw inferences about treatment effectiveness.
In almost every case, the evidence was contaminated by the fact
that comparison groups included higher-risk offenders who would
have refused or quit treatment had it been offered to them.
We conclude that the effectiveness of psychological treatment
for sex offenders remains to be demonstrated. Furthermore, we
outline solutions that we think will lead to progress in the
field of sex offender treatment.
