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If juvenile sex offenders are committed to the right program, it can significantly reduce the chances of them committing any offenses in the future. The key is finding the right treatment program, because helping sexually abusive teens is a difficult and serious process. You have to vet the program that you admit your child into; you can use the following questions as a guideline to form your own evaluation strategy:
Asking this question may seem redundant, but it is important that you do; the answer you receive to this question could tell you how confident the therapists are about their treatment plan.
You need to find out what the expected outcomes of the program are and what kind of results are anticipated at the end of the program. This is a question that doesn’t deserve a one line answer, if you get that then move on to another program.
A therapy program should let you know about their short-term and long-term goals, that they are trying to achieve with their treatment plan. They will outline the goals that they themselves want to achieve and the objectives they have for the participants.
You need to learn about the activities that the participants will be doing on a daily basis. The participant’s physical and mental health should be cared for in the program.
It is also good to know about any family therapy sessions in the program. Family support systems is very important for any juvenile sexual offender and the therapy sessions will help in airing out the issues that each party has. You can find solutions to those issues and move on as a family.
This is one of the more traditional questions in the list, you should ask about the costs of the treatment program and how long it will last for.
By asking the question above and any other that you can come up with, you can ensure that your child gets the best help possible. The right program will help them accept responsibility for their actions and develop a healthy sexual behavior.
Matt is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has been working in the field of youth treatment and psychotherapy since 1995. He did his undergraduate work at BYU and earned his M.S.W. at the University of Utah. He has worked in a variety of treatment setting in his career ranging from wilderness therapy and residential treatment to outpatient treatment and state government.
