THE EFFICACY OF A SERIOUS SEX OFFENDERS TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR ADOLESCENT RAPISTS

An evaluation of the recidivism rates for 50 adolescent male rapists w ho had been sentenced to a state juvenile correctional facility was co mpleted. All subjects in this study had committed a sexual assault aga inst a person their age or older. A two-year follow-up of the subjects in this study found that five were reinvolved in a sexual assault. Ad ditionally, 29 of the 50 subjects were convicted of additional charges . Of this, ten youths were placed under supervision and the other 19 s ubjects were placed in a correctional facility. The treatment program for perpetrators of serious sexual assault was considered to be effect ive in significantly reducing the likelihood of subjects being involve d in another sexual assault within two years after completing the prog ram. Additionally, the program was effective in breaking a pattern of criminal behavior in close to half of the subjects studied.