Violent and Sexual Offenders: Assessment, Treatment and Management

Edited by J. Ireland, C. Ireland, and P. Birch
Portland, OR: Willan Publishing, 2009

This book presents a collaboration of research from Canada, the UK, New Zealand, and Switzerland regarding treatment, management, and the assessment of violent and sexual offenders. Contrary to other books written in this area, Ireland, Ireland, and Birch construct a multi-disciplinary approach to assessing and treating violent and sexual offenders, emphasizing the importance of integrating comprehensive risk management plans otherwise omitted by clinical practitioners. The authors of “Violent and Sexual Offenders” offer an overview of some of the current policies and legislation regarding both low and high risk offenders. Moreover, a range of methods in relation to specific therapies and their applicability are examined, and priority is given to a number of varying approaches such as life maps, group therapy, and comprehensive assessments and treatments that are fundamental to the achievement of successful and positive results amongst offenders. 

This book is divided into three sections. The first analyzes the evaluation of violent and sexual offenders while providing the reader with models that attempt to explain prediction with risk assessment. Here, both the needs of the offender and the clinic are taken into account in order to better understand the challenges and the underlying dilemmas of assessment, intervention, and cooperation.  A number of different meta-analyses are presented as a means of acquainting the reader with current research trends and the levels of recidivism as it pertains to the assessment of risk, and thus, offenders. A close look at conducting individualized theory-driven assessments is therefore essential to understanding the developmental history of violent and sexual offenders. Scrutinizing the therapeutic needs of offenders is a central constituent of this section, as it carefully considers functional assessments of sorts. 

The second section focuses solely on treatment for violence and aggression. It first examines the essential components of aggression, while gradually moving towards treatment approaches for sexual violence, interpersonal violence, and finally, stalking. This section provides readers with a strong understanding of key terms and definitions pertaining to violence, perpetrator risk factors, victim considerations, treatment implications, managing emotions such as resistance and denial, the prevention of relapse, the inclusion of substance abuse, couples therapy, and suggested improvements and the need for future research in this area.

The third section of this book deals with the management of offenders. Of the three chapters listed under this section, the least useful offered a comparative analysis of management research in United States and the United Kingdom. While it is important to consider the current legislation and the various policies that are relevant to violent and sexual offending, a chapter outlining the differences between the respective laws offers minimal insight to the actual application of these laws in terms of how they affect the management of sexual offenders. Although the concluding chapter of the book provides a thorough analysis of the management of dangerous offenders, it fails to synthesis the key issues raised throughout the book. In a sense, the book ends rather abruptly without offering any closing remarks or synthesis of the research snd conclusions presented in the book. Though I can state that each chapter offered individual conclusions, presenting a broad summary at the end of the book would have greatly strengthened the arguments and relevance or real life applicability of the material presented. Instead, it appears to this reader that this particular piece of work is structured more as a manual.

The general consensus between the authors of the book is that further research is needed in order to better understand the dynamics of violent and sexual offending. Given its nature, sexual offending is often difficult to thoroughly research, and therefore requires a great deal of in-depth research so that we may increase our academic and social awareness of these phenomena. Furthermore, we are faced with the challenging task of developing stronger long-term treatment strategies, as well as formulating clear management approaches while maintaining the finesse required for individualized assessment techniques.

This book will appeal to those who take interest in, or work with violent and sexual offenders. It is beyond the scope of this review to address all the noteworthy aspects of the treatment, assessment, and management of violent and sexual offenders; however, this book contributes to the current academic literature by offering an exceptionally unique approach by addressing these three areas of study through a holistic and collaborative lens.