The economics of child sex-offender rehabilitation programs: Beyond Prentky & Burgess

In a 1990 article in this journal, Prentky and Burgess examined cost-effect iveness of the rehabilitation of child molesters. Their estimates were base d on the tangible costs of incarceration and particular recidivism rates. T his paper extends those findings by estimating the intangible costs of chil d sexual abuse and a range of recidivism rates. The result is to focus grea ter attention on the efficacy of treatment programs and the potential econo mic damage done to children by child molesters.