A description is provided of a program for dealing with convicted sex
offenders. This program includes: incarceration and treatment of high
risk offenders in maximum and medium security institutions; movement o
f successfully treated offenders and lower risk offenders to a less ex
tensive treatment program in a minimum security jail; and then release
to the community where offenders are reassessed and treated, while th
ey begin supervised implementation of a relapse prevention plan. The e
vidence suggests that this overall approach is not only effective in r
educing recidivism, but also cost-effective in reducing the expense to
society of dealing with reoffenders.