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Prison-based democratic therapeutic communities (TCs) provide an alternative to mainstream prison, where prisoners can work on psychological difficulties and address offending behavior. Research demonstrates TCs are effective at reducing reoffending rates for residents who stay in therapy 18+ months, and those who drop out of TCs offend at a significantly higher rate than those who complete therapy. Thus, it is important to reduce attrition in TCs. No research has yet explored the explanations for TC drop out offered by those with sexual convictions. The present study uses Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis to qualitatively explore the accounts of men with sexual convictions (n = 7) who dropped out of a TC in a UK prison. Results highlight that issues surrounding external responsivity, therapeutic relationships, and treatment readiness were salient in the participants' accounts of drop out. This research has implications for TCs seeking to better understand and address attrition of people with sexual convictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research suggests that a lack of pro-social skills is characteristic of an offending personality. Two hundred male and female offenders and matched controls completed measures to assess: Theory of Mind, empathic understanding, and moral reasoning. Significant differences between the offenders and the control group, as well as between the male and female participants, were detected in theory of mind, empathic understanding and moral reasoning with offenders scoring lower than the control group, and with males scoring lower than females on most tests. The ability to assess Theory of Mind, empathic understanding, and moral reasoning, and subsequently to identify reduced ability, is not only useful for researchers but will also allow practitioners to tailor existing (or develop new) interventions specific to the needs of individuals. This could be particularly useful in terms of recidivism when applied to those involved in anti-social or offending behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research evidence demonstrates that sex offender treatment programmes (SOTPs) can reduce the number of sex offenders who are reconvicted. However, there has been much less empirical research exploring the experiences and perspectives of the prison environment within which treatment takes place. This is important, particularly for sexual offenders, as they often face multiple stigmas in prison. This study used a mixed-methods approach to explore the experiences of prisoners and staff at a therapeutically orientated sexual offenders' prison to understand whether the prison environment was conducive to rehabilitation. The quantitative strand of the research sampled prisoners (n = 112) and staff (n = 48) from a therapeutically orientated sex offenders prison. This strand highlighted that both prisoners and staff had positive attitudes toward offenders and high beliefs that offenders could change. Importantly, the climate was rated positively and, in particular, participants had very high ratings of "experienced safety." The qualitative strand of the research consisted of semistructured interviews with prisoners (n = 15) and a range of prison staff (n = 16). The qualitative analysis revealed positive prisoner views toward staff relationships, with most participants articulating that the prison and its staff had contributed to positive change in prisoners. Crucially, the environment was perceived as safe and allowed prisoners "headspace" to work through problems and contemplate change. This research offers some support to the notion that context is important for sex offender rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Denial in sexual offenders represents the first barrier to successful treatment a clinician is likely to face. However, there is currently no research focusing on the experiences of treatment professionals who treat and manage deniers. This study aimed to bridge this research gap and to gain an insight into the perspectives and experiences of professionals who treat and manage sex offenders in denial. The purpose was to ascertain their views on whether deniers are amenable to treatment, whether they should be offered treatment (as presently they are excluded from sex offender programmes), and what they believe may work with this population. A qualitative methodology was used, and treatment professionals were interviewed using semistructured interviews at a HM Prison in England. The main findings indicated that participants viewed denial as a barrier to treatment and that categorical deniers should be excluded from treatment. Implications for treatment are discussed, and it is concluded that viewing denial as a barrier to treatment impedes constructive work with offenders. It is argued that denial as an organising principle for treatment needs rethinking and that admittance may not be required for personal reform. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]