Transcript Document

The Counseling and Psychotherapy Center, Inc.
The R.U.L.E. Program
For
youth who have sexually acted out
Website:
cpcamerica.com
Presenter: Tanya L. Snyder, M.Ed., LMHC
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The Counseling & Psychotherapy Center, Inc. (CPC)
is an agency comprised of clinicians, victim
advocates and criminal justice professionals who
operate specialized management and treatment
programs in many locations throughout the United
States for individuals who have displayed sexually
inappropriate and abusive behaviors. We
specialize in setting up these services in
communities who express a need.
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We currently operate in 8 states- California, Maine,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, North Dakota,
North Carolina & Oregon. We work with juveniles and
adults, males and females, in institutions, in the
community, on probation/parole or self-referred,
including those that admit to their issues and those that
do not. We provide family, individual, marathon sessions
and group therapy. We tailor treatment to meet the
client’s individual needs which can include EMDR, PPG’s,
Abels, Behavioral Treatment, Polygraphs, etc. We own
and operate our own juvenile/young adult group home in
CA.
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There are an estimated 45 million victims of sexual abuse in
the U.S. — one in four females and one in six males. It’s a
mind-boggling statistic that’s even more staggering when you
consider that sexual abuse is massively underreported.
Yet only 10 percent of abused children suffer at the hands of
strangers. That means 90 percent of all victims are abused by
people they know and trust: 60 percent by teachers, coaches,
priests, summer camp and scout leaders, for example, and 30
percent by members of victims own families.
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Juveniles account for more than one-third (35.6 percent) of those known to police to have
committed sex offenses against minors.
A small number of juvenile offenders— 1 out of 8—are younger than age 12. The number of
youth coming to the attention of police for sex offenses increases sharply at age 12 and
plateaus after age 14.
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Early adolescence is the peak age for offenses against younger children.
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Offenses against teenagers surge during mid to late adolescence, while offenses against
victims under age 12 decline.
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Females constitute 7 percent of juveniles who commit sex offenses. Females are found more
frequently among younger youth than older youth who commit sex offenses. This group’s
offenses involve more multiple-victim and multiple-perpetrator episodes, and they are more
likely to have victims who are family members or males.
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Data were collected online in 2010 and 2011. Participants included 1058 youths aged 14 to 21 years. Recruitment
was balanced on youths’ biological sex and age.
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Nearly 1 in 10 youths (9%) reported some type of sexual violence perpetration in their lifetime; the threshold was
kissing someone when they know the person doesn’t want to be kissed.
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4% (10 females and 39 males) reported attempted or completed rape.
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Sixteen years old was the mode age of first sexual perpetration (n = 18 [40%]).
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Almost all perpetrators (98%) who reported age at first perpetration to be 15 years or younger were male, with similar
but weakened results among those who began at ages 16 or 17 years (90%). It is not until ages 18 or 19 years that
males (52%) and females (48%) are relatively equally represented as perpetrators. Sixteen years old was the mode age
of first sexual perpetration (n = 18 [40%]).
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Perpetrators reported greater exposure to violent X-rated content.
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Males were more likely to perpetrate against younger victims than females.
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Programs that encourage bystander intervention are important in identification and intervention.
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More than one-third of users under 18 reported receiving unwanted
sexual attention online.
Seventy percent of parents say they monitor their child's online
activity while on Facebook and other social media sites, and 46%
have password access to their children's accounts. In contrast, 30%
of parents don't chaperone online interactions because they trust
their kids, don't want to show a lack of trust, don't know how to use
social media sites or don't have time to.
Spectorsoft, which blocks, records and alerts parents by monitoring
Internet use, may be helpful.
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Help you to understand the amount, degree and type of risk
factors
Determines the focus of treatment;
Determines the intensity and frequency of treatment and
supervision/prioritizes caseloads;
Informs the client of underlying and unrecognized issues.
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This study reviewed the records of 198 juveniles who were committed to secured
custody after being adjudicated delinquent for a sexually violent offense that qualified
them for possible commitment under a Sexually Violent Person's (SVP) civil
commitment law.
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For an individual to be committed, the statute requires that the individual have a
qualifying mental disorder and is "likely," to commit a future act of sexual violence.
Each youth was screened by at least two expert examiners in a two-step process.
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Fifty-four of the youth were found to meet the commitment criteria in an initial
examination and were subject to an SVP petition. The remaining 144 were screened
out.
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Subsequent criminal charges were collected over a 4.97-year mean follow-up.
Among petitioned youth, 11.76% were charged with a new sexual offense including 9.80% who
were charged with a felony sexual assault.
By comparison, 17.36% of the youth that were screened out were charged with a sexual offense
including 13.19% who were charged with a felony sexual assault.
This is a non-significant difference. Adolescents initially selected for commitment as SVPs were
no more likely to sexually recidivate than adolescents who had committed similar offenses (in
fact, less so) but were not deemed appropriate for commitment, and Expert evaluation failed to
distinguish between the two groups, based on re-offense rates.
Commonly used risk factors failed to distinguish a distinctly high-risk group, and that no
methods currently used to predict adolescent sexual re-offense demonstrate the degree of
scientific reliability required for accurate expert judgments or precise predictions of risk.
Caldwell thus warns that experts involved in assessing the eligibility of juvenile sexual offenders
for juvenile civil commitment must proceed with extreme caution. Risk Assessment Tools are
used best to determine presence of risk factors which require attention, treatment and
management rather than predicting the certainty or likelihood of a re-offense.
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Most are empirically-informed guides for the systematic review and
assessment of a uniform set of items that may reflect increased risk
factors.
A tool that should be used as part of a comprehensive risk
assessment and never be used exclusively to make decisions about
re-offense risk. Must be skilled and use a variety of tools and
resources, as well as assess multiple aspects of functioning.
Need to remember that it is about risk identification and
management more than risk prediction.
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Remember that adolescents are in a developmental and situational flux.
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They are still developing social and emotional skills, attitudes and beliefs, abstract
thinking and reasoning skills.
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They have shorter attention spans and greater impulsivity.
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Self-focus and narcissism are developmentally normal.
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More dependent on social environment.
Traumatic effects may be immediate and ongoing.
Time not engaging in behaviors in more recent past, must be considered
When out of home placement is being considered, carefully consider the negatives of
this arrangement, along with benefits to the child and protection of others. The
younger the child, the more consideration is needed.
Time limited- expires in 6 months to 1 year at most.
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An estimated 9.5% of adjudicated youth in state juvenile facilities reported experiencing
one or more incidents of sexual victimization by another youth or staff in the past 12
month (or since admission if less than 12 months).
About 2.5% of youth reported an incident involving another youth and 7.7% reported an
incident involving facility staff.
Youth who identified their sexual orientation as gay, lesbian, bisexual or other reported
a substantially higher rate of youth-on-youth victimization (10.3%) than heterosexual
youth (1.5%)
Three states (Delaware, Massachusetts, and New York) and the District of Columbia had
no reported incidents of sexual victimization.
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Age of child
Cognitive strengths and vulnerabilities (including psychiatric diagnoses
and personality style)
Developmental insults that may have interfered with normal
development, age at which these occurred, order in which they occurred
Events that precede the sexual behaviors, both immediately and the
broader context
The sexual behavior itself (frequency, intensity and duration)
Function of the behavior for the individual
Consequences of the sexual behavior
Family and social supports
Other resiliency factors.
Risk for sexual and non sexual issues.
Risk management strategies
“Risk, Need, Responsivity”
Risk Principle: amount and intensity of interventions should
be matched to amount and intensity of risk factors identified.
Need Principle: interventions should specifically target areas
related to the dynamic risk factors and criminogenic needs
identified, to reduce overall problematic behaviors.
Responsivity: interventions should match the characteristics
of the client and family (learning styles, motivation, abilities,
strengths, etc.)
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Static Factors
Historical variables
Dynamic Factors
Changeable and used in treatment
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Examined 1,260 moderate- and high-risk American adolescents, aged 12 to 18, who
appeared before court between January 1999 and January 2000. Of that number, 756
were known to have sexually abused.
The study found that when risk factors for general delinquency occur in sexually
abusive youth their impact on recidivism is much stronger than with those that break
other laws.
Of note, the risk of nonsexual re-offense was greatest among the group of
adolescents convicted of either felony offenses or offenses with much younger
children.
Social isolation occurred more frequently among youth with sexual offenses than those
with general delinquency offenses and was more common in the teens committing
more serious sexual offenses.
Sexual abuse is more frequently found among adolescents who
commit serious sexual offenses, however the study found no
effect of sexual abuse on recidivism.
Interrupting the link between childhood sexual abuse and the
onset of first time sexually abusive behaviors may be an
important goal for prevention programs.
This is particularly important because multiple studies now
show that there is a stronger correlation between victimization
in those committing serious offenses or offenses against
children than in those committing less serious sexual crimes.
Current Leaders – Juvenile
Assessments
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There are three instruments that have come to be
considered the leading assessments designed for use
with juveniles.
 JSORRAT-II: Juvenile Sexual Offense Recidivism Risk Assessment
Tool-II (CA-SORATSO)
 ERASOR: Estimate of Risk Adolescent Sexual Offense Recidivism.
Can be used on 12-18 year old males and females.
 J-SOAP-II: Juvenile Sex Offender Assessment Protocol-II. Can
be used on 12-18 year old males only.
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Taken from J-SOAP II
Prior sex offense charges
Number of sexual abuse victims
Male child victims
Duration of sexual offense history
Planning in sexual offenses
Sexualized Aggression
Evidence of sexual preoccupation
Sexual victimization history, physical
abuse history and/or exposure to
family violence.
Caregiver consistency/stability
History of expressed anger
School behavior problems
History of conduct disorder before
age 10
Juvenile antisocial behavior (10-17)
Ever charged/arrested before age 16
Multiple types offenses
Taken from the ERASOR
Prior adult sanctions for sexual
assault(s)
Ever assaulted 2 or more victims
Male victim
Ever assaulted same victim 2 or more
times
Threats of, or use of excessive
violence/weapons
Child victims
Stranger victims
Indiscriminate choice of victims
Diverse sexual assault behaviors
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Static Risk Factors Only
1.
Number of adjudications for sexual offenses, including current.
2.
Number of different victims in charged sexual offenses.
3.
Length of sexual offending history based on time between the charge dates
for first sexual offense and the last sexual offense.
4.
Was the juvenile under any form of court ordered supervision at time of any
charged sexual offense?
5.
Was any charged “hands on” sexual offense committed in a public place?
6.
Did the offender engage in deception or grooming of victim prior to any
charged offense?
7.
What is the JSO’s prior sexual offender specific treatment status?
8.
Number of documented “hands-on” sexual abuse incidents- as a victim.
9.
Number of documented incidents of physical abuse-as a victim.
10. Does the JSO have a history of special education placement?
11. Number of educational time periods with discipline problems.
12. Number of adjudications for non-sexual offenses prior to index offense.
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Based on J-SOAP-II
Accepting responsibility for sex
offenses
Internal motivation for change
Understanding risk factors and
management
Evidence of empathy
Evidence of remorse and guilt
Presence of cognitive distortions
Quality of peer relationships.
Management of sexual urges and
desire
Evidence of poorly managed anger in
community
Stability of current living situation
Stability in school
Evidence of support system in
community
Based on ERASOR
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Deviant sexual interest
Obsessive sexual interests
Attitudes supportive of offending
Unwillingness to alter deviant sexual
interest/attitudes
Antisocial peer orientation
Lack of intimate peer relationships/social
isolation
Negative peer associations and influences
Interpersonal aggression
Recent escalation in anger or negative affect
Poor self-regulation of affect and behavior
(Impulsivity)
High-stress family environment
Problematic parent-offender
relationships/parental rejection
Parent(s) not supporting of sexual offense
specific assessment/treatment
Environment supporting opportunities to
reoffend sexually
No development or practice of realistic
prevention plans/strategies
Incomplete sexual offense specific treatment
An important part of evaluation is identifying the presence or absence of
protective factors, such as:
 A Supportive family,
 Education
 Stability in daily life
 Adequate knowledge about human sexuality
 Having a confidante
 Ability to regulate emotions
 Opportunities to explore one’s interests
 Hope
 Plans for the future
Finding the strengths within a youth and their family entails defining the
internal and external structures that maintain personal and community safety
Resilience in our youths is the ultimate safety net and our most effective
treatment ally
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Assessment and treatment works! The largest study to date, by
Lorraine Reitzel and Joyce Carbonell (2006) found that
adolescents who sexually abused and went on to complete
treatment re-offended at a rate of 7.37%. Their untreated
counterparts (including those who refused or dropped out of
treatment) re-offended at a rate of 19.93%.
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Up to 50% may re-offend in other criminal ways
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Goal is as David Prescott puts it, “Healthy Lives & Safe
Communities”
Risk Assessment and the
Risk Principle
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Research indicates that providing high intensity
treatment to low risk offenders may increase their risk
level by extensively exposing them to higher risk
offenders who may “contaminate” them with anti-social
attitudes, thinking and behavior.
Separate high-risk, low risk and developmentally
delayed youths by providing individual therapy
and/or separated groups.
◦ Assess Risk and Needs;
◦ Target these risk and needs through an individualized treatment plan, incorporating
client’s voice into their goals and focusing on approach goals not just avoidance
goals. Use strengths as a basis of treatment.
◦ Base implementation on widely used and accepted theoretical models (Cognitive
Behavioral Treatment, Multi-Systemic, etc.)
◦ Disrupt the delinquency network;
◦ Match personality, learning style & stage of development with program settings and
approaches;
◦ Integrate with other community based services- be multi-systemic in nature
◦ Create a feedback loop- how are we doing? We should see positive indicators in 7-8
sessions. How and why are our client’s struggling, what can we do to change this?
ASK.
Strength-Based Approach to treatment:
 Accept
“person” not the behavior
 Provide help to develop a sense of self-efficacy through
strength and skill building
 Support growth of a positive identity
 Promote a feeling of inclusiveness
 Progress based approach develops a sense of achievement
and sense of when treatment ends
 Focus on whole person
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Children’s brains are made up of many different highly interrelated parts/modules which are modified by developmental
phases and by experiences. There is enhanced connectivity between parts of the brain (increased white matter), increase
in synaptic pruning (cutting back unused neurons) and development of the Prefrontal Cortex (actually until our midtwenties). This process is responsible for:
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Regulation of the body
Regulation of emotion
Emotionally attuned interpersonal communication
Response flexibility
Self-awareness
Autobiographical memory
Self-soothing abilities
Intuition
Morality
All complex systems, including children’s brains require additional energy to change them. Resistance is not necessarily
rebellious in nature, so much as the tendency for the system to remain in inertia and conserve energy (Grigsby &
Stevens, 2000).
Therapeutic process is a dialogue between the child’s existing ways of interpreting feelings and events and the
therapists capacity to understand and interpret these. Also provides the opportunity to experience a complete range of
both positive and negative feelings for the therapist and others, without them acting out back, allowing for repairing
when ruptures occur. Repairing ruptures in the therapeutic and family relationships teaches emotion-regulation skills
and changes the brains of all involved.
Nobody cares how much you
know until they know how
much you care.
-Anonymous
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Martin Drapeau (2005) is one of the few researchers to have conducted a series of pilot studies on the processes
involved in treating 15-24 adult child molester, undergoing a prison-based cognitive-behavioral and relapse
prevention treatment program.
By examining the therapeutic alliance he found that: 1) therapists are seen as very important to a client's success (by
client). 2) Confrontations from the client (especially early in treatment) are to be expected and are not a sign of
resistance to change or treatment. It may be their way of ensuring they have a voice in the treatment that affects
them. (Be sure to incorporate this-lends a sense of autonomy, helps the client to consider new ways to deal with
conflict and their own resistance.) 3) Clients appreciate therapists who display leadership and strength without being
domineering (remaining constructive is vital). 4) The structure of treatment programs is crucial, offering offenders a
chance to develop more effective ways of dealing with conflict and anxiety and 5) The most effective therapists
support the autonomy of their clients while also maintaining respect for all rules and procedures.
The adept therapist sets in place a skillful choreography between the program structure and the individualized
treatment plan. Programs that are well structured, with clear expectations and limits, provide the "container" within
which positive therapist client interactions can take place. It also provides a clear picture of what the end of
treatment looks like. (All these aspects are the incorporation of inductive parenting- creates a sense of attachment
which is critical to brain development and the network of neurons as well. Repairing ruptures in therapy can help
them do it outside of therapy as well.)
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Multi-systemic in nature when working with families and children/adolescents. MSTPSB is proven to be more effective than Individual and CBT related to recidivism.
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Group Therapy- Treatment work and support. Is a cognitive behavioral psycho-
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Individual Therapy- Individual needs met- related to trauma and mental health, etc.
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Family Therapy- To address family issues, to educate family on client’s needs and to
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Psychopharmacological- If necessary to address mental health issues.
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Other- Each client and families’ needs will guide the treatment process.
educational model that utilizes drama therapy, DBT skills, art therapy, mindfulness
and relaxation strategies.
May utilize EMDR in this setting to work through unresolved traumas.
create and implement safety planning.
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The American Psychological Association (2006) defines this
practice as “the integration of best available research with
clinical expertise in the context of patient characteristics,
culture and preferences”. There are three key components:
1.) Clinical expertise with the individual (ATSA, local orgs)
2.) Application of research-based treatment methods (CBT,
MST, etc.)
3.) Tailoring treatment to meet individual characteristics,
adapted to cultural factors, and in line with client preferences
wherever possible. (Responsivity Principle)
R.U.L.E
Responsibility:
The impact the youths’ behavior has had on his
victims, himself, and others
Understanding:
The experiences and decisions that have led him to
this point
Learning: New patterns of appropriate behavior & coping skills
Experience: The benefit of using new skills in relating to others and in
managing strong negative emotional states:
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Stop Abusive Touch- Group, Experiential, Individual, Family
Increase Responsibility taking for behaviors- Group, Experiential
Modifying Interpersonal Relations - Group, Experiential, Individual, Family
Healthy Relationship Development & Sex Education- Group, Family, Individual
Exploration of Roots of Problem- Group, Individual & Family
Educating and Supporting the Family- Psycho Educational Group, Family
Developing Understanding of Cycle of Dysregulation- Group, Individual
Enhance Coping Skills & Decrease Impulsivity Group, Experiential, Individual
Perspective Taking and Empathy Building - Group, Experiential, Family
Identifying Cognitive Distortions – Group, Individual
Assessing & Modifying Inappropriate Sexual Interests – Individual, Bx. Mod.
Developing Healthy Living Plan & Developing Goals- Group, Individual, Family
Transitioning to Community- Group, Individual, Family
Maintaining Behaviors - Aftercare Groups, Family
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Child and Family’s Victimization History & Impact (physical, sexual and/or
emotional)- Individual, Family
Drug/alcohol education, addressing use/abuse (if relevant)- Individual,
Referral
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Gang/street affiliation or other negative peer influences -Group, Individual
Self-esteem development- Group, Individual, Family
Communication/assertiveness skills & Anger Management- Group,
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Development of appropriate activities/structure of time -Group, Individual,
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Experiential
Family
Address self-harm, suicide- Group, Individual, Family
Referral for medication and medication monitoring, if appropriate- Referral
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Life Story – An account of the client’s life that is completed using the
questions in the guide.
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Cycle of Dysregulation – Clients must complete diagrams of their cycle of
dysregulation both in past and present.
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Healthy Living Plan (HeLP) – A realistic and usable comprehensive Healthy
Living Plan (HeLP) is completed prior to completing the program or moving to
a lower level of supervision.
Responsibility Letters and Role-plays – Letters and role-plays must be
completed (but not sent) to self, victim(s) and others.
CYCLE OF
DYSREGULATION
Healthy Living
Healthy Attachments
Shame and Guilt
Negative Self
Triggering
Situations
ABUSIVE
BEHAVIORS
Abusive
Behavior
EMOTIONAL
STABILITY
aps
TURNING
POINT
Risky Emotions
EMOTIONAL
DYSREGULATION
WRONG
PATH
Risky Behaviors
Poor/bad choices,
Going down the
wrong path, rule
breaking
Dangerous
Situations
Wrong Choices
Setting up the
Situation
Giving up on self:
Low self-esteem
The Counseling and Psychotherapy Center
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Interventions and coping to address each part of the Cycle of
Dysregulation.
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Support network Identification.
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Coping Activities.
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Coping Statements.
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Goal Identification.
You will be yourself. Someone from the group will be the person you
hurt sexually. Others may play other roles as necessary. These people
will be able to ask questions ahead of time and must be familiar with
the acting out behavior.
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The group members are observers until the end of the role-play, and
then they can comment and offer feedback.
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Act as if you are meeting to take responsibility for what you did to the
person you hurt sexually and the impact this behavior had on them. You
should react as if this is a real meeting taking place.
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The person playing the person you victimized and the people playing
their family can respond to your statements, ask questions, etc. They
should react as realistically as possible.
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Process the role-play first with the people engaged and then with the
observers. Some questions to discuss are:
What was it like for all?
What went well? Why?
What didn’t go well? Why?
Was this a realistic portrayal, why or why not?
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Art Therapy - Tension
Ask them to draw a picture of tension. Ask them to write down any words that
come to mind to describe the picture. Ask them to share this with the group.
Relaxation Exercise
Have the clients lie down or sit in a comfortable position. Tell them to tense up
their feet as much as possible and then release. Tell them to do the same with
their, legs, torso, shoulders, neck, arms, hands, head and face, allowing a silence
between exercises. Tell them to just enjoy being fully relaxed.
Art Therapy - Relaxation
Ask them to draw a picture of relaxation. Ask them to write down any words that
come to mind to describe the picture. Ask them to share this with the group.
Remind them of the importance of identifying tension in their bodies and using
relaxation exercises as an effective, healthy living tool.
If you are able to recognize your psychological state then you can challenge it,
allow it to pass and act differently (i.e. not impulsively) to it.
1. Choose a song that represents your family. Write down why you chose this song. Bring
either the lyrics or the song into therapy to share. After sharing your comments and be open
to feedback from others as well as group discussion related to connections.
2. Choose a song that represents you in the past. Write down why you chose this song.
Bring either the lyrics or the song to therapy to share. Afterwards share your comments and
be open to feedback from others as well as group discussion related to connections.
3. Choose a song that represents you right now. Write down why you chose this song. Bring
in either the lyrics or the song to therapy to share. Afterwards share your comments and be
open to feedback from others as well as group discussion related to connections.
4. Choose a song that represents you in the future. Write down why you chose this song.
Bring in either the lyrics or the song to therapy to share. Afterwards share your comments
and be open to feedback from others as well as group discussion related to connections.
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"Apologize“ by Timbaland
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I'm holding on your rope
Got me ten feet off the ground
And I'm hearing what you say
But I just can't make a sound
You tell me that you need me
Then you go and cut me down
But wait...
You tell me that you're sorry
Didn't think I'd turn around and say..
It's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late
Woahooo woah
It's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, yeah
I said it's too late to apologize, yeah
That it's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late
I'd take another chance, take a fall, take a shot
for you
And I need you like a heart needs a beat
(But that's nothing new)
Yeah
I loved you with a fire red, now it's turning blue
And you say
Sorry like the Angel Heaven let me think was
you,
But I'm afraid
I'm holding on your rope
Got me ten feet off the ground...
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Have one participant choose in his mind all the most important members of
his family.
He then chooses group members to represent each one of those family
members.
With the help of the facilitator he should then do the following:
◦ Choose the most dominant member of the family and put him/her in the
center of the picture.
◦ What family member is least effected by the dominant one? Where could
you put him/her? For instance, is he/she nearly leaving the room? Is
he/she turned away?
◦ Each family member should be placed to indicate his/her relation to the
dominant one and to each other.
◦ Some members might be very passive. The dominant one might be
pushing them down.
◦ Use pushing, pulling, contact and no contact to represent the nature of
the relationships.
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Trauma survivors are often challenged in using language in
treatment, due to dissociation and trauma effects on the
brain. Reliance on verbal language in therapy can actually
have a reverse effect in that it often generates frustration and
distress. Using art, music, role plays, skits and cooperative
games can provide a way to support skill building, selfexpression and relational engagement.
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16 Week cognitive behavioral program developed to address
the educational, support, and trauma needs of family and
members of the community support system;
The focus is on providing useful information, emotional
support, and skill building/practice
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To present curriculum in such a way as to not blame the nonabusing parent, or support member;
To validate the realities of their lives during the abuse,
including the impact of possible adult and childhood trauma
histories;
Supporting simultaneously, efforts to change, to heal, to
develop mastery and increased self-esteem;
To recognize their “window of tolerance” and to increase their
capacities to regulate emotions and tolerate distress;
To improve relationships with their families;
To recognize issues and the appropriate action to take when
these situations occur;
Understanding their role in the containment approach
process, Healthy clients and safer communities!
What is a Safety Plan?
An organized set of rules and guidelines used to supervise and
structure time and space, due to behavioral issues. Designed for
the safety and well-being of person acting out, as well as those
around him/her, in addition to pets and property.
Why have one?
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To address publicly sexually inappropriate behavior (I.e. masturbating,
etc.)
To address sexually inappropriate or violent behavior with pets.
To address sexualized play.
To address acting out with siblings or other children in the family,
neighborhood or school, this may include – sexualized talk or
inappropriate touch.
To address verbally and physically abusive behavior towards others.
To address harm to property when angry, which may result in harming the
child or others.
To address night time wandering.
To address fire safety issues.
Etc.
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Those who offended need to understand their cycle of dysregulation, complete a
healthy living plan (HeLP) and a safety plan, as well as Responsibility work.
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Family will have participated in Chaperone Program and Family therapy (ideally).
Safety in the home and community will be assessed for appropriateness.
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Those who were victimized will be in therapy and the therapist will agree that they
are ready and willing to reunify. At which point Responsibility work will be done.
The whole process is driven by the victims and their therapists.
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Reunification will be a process which will be slow and reviewed for appropriateness
throughout. Safety plans will be utilized. All parties need to agree with plans prior
to implementation.
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They are a very manageable population.
Treatment programs built on the cognitive/behavioral model supported
by supervision & inclusion of the family/peer context can greatly reduce
the chance of a re-offense (victimization). MST-PSB is the current leader.
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More likely to be re-incarcerated for a non-sex offense then a sex
offenses.
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Low rates of sex offense recidivism reported.
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Juveniles adjudicated of certain offenses are required to register as sex
offenders upon release from the California Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Facilities (Pen. Code § 290.008.).
Some of the offenses noted are: rape, sexual battery, lewd acts with a minor,
contributing to the delinquency of a minor, child pornography, pimping and
pandering with a minor, aggravated and/or continuous sexual assault of a
child, incest, forced acts involving oral copulation, sodomy, penetration with a
foreign object and indecent exposure. This list is not exhaustive of the
offenses which may require registration as a sex offender under Penal Code
290, but it is simply a list of some of the most common.
However, registrants whose offenses were adjudicated in juvenile court cannot
be publicly disclosed on the Internet web site. Local law enforcement agencies
about may, in their discretion, notify the public about juvenile registrants who
are posing a risk (Pen. Code § 290.45.).
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Sex offender laws that trigger registration requirements for children began proliferating in the United States during the
late 1980s and early 1990s. Upon release from juvenile detention or prison, youth sex offenders are subject to
registration laws that require them to disclose continually updated information including a current photograph, height,
weight, age, current address, school attendance, and place of employment. Registrants must periodically update this
information so that it remains current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or attend school. Often, the
requirement to register lasts for decades and even a lifetime. Although the details about some youth offenders
prosecuted in juvenile courts are disclosed only to law enforcement, most states provide these details to the public,
often over the Internet, because of community notification laws.
Residency restriction laws impose another layer of control, subjecting people convicted of sexual offenses as children to
a range of rules about where they may live.
Failure to adhere to registration, community notification, or residency restriction laws can lead to a felony conviction for
failure to register, with lasting consequences for a young person’s life.
And contrary to common public perceptions, the empirical evidence suggests that putting youth offenders on registries
does not advance community safety—because it overburdens law enforcement with large numbers of people to monitor,
undifferentiated by their dangerousness.
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Youth sex offenders on the registry are stigmatized, isolated, often depressed. Many consider suicide,
and some succeed. They and their families have experienced harassment and physical violence. They are
sometimes shot at, beaten, even murdered; many are repeatedly threatened with violence. Some young
people have to post signs stating “sex offender lives here” in the windows of their homes; others have to
carry drivers’ licenses with “sex offender” printed on them in bright orange capital letters.
Youth sex offenders on the registry are sometimes denied access to education because residency
restriction laws prevent them from being in or near a school. Youth sex offender registrants despair of
ever finding employment, even while they are burdened with mandatory fees that can reach into the
hundreds of dollars on an annual basis.
Youth sex offender registrants often cannot find housing that meets residency restriction rules, meaning
that they and their families struggle to house themselves and often experience periods of homelessness.
Families of youth offenders also confront enormous obstacles in living together as a family—often
because registrants are prohibited from living with other children.
Finally, the impacts of being a youth offender subject to registration are multi-generational—affecting
the parents, and also the children of former offenders. The children of youth sex offenders often cannot
be dropped off at school by their parent. They may be banned by law from hosting a birthday party
involving other children at their home; and they are often harassed and ridiculed by their peers for their
parents’ long-past transgressions.
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There was a marked increases in plea bargains for juvenile sex offense cases following the
initial enactment of South Carolina’s registration and notification policy in 1995 and
following the 1999 revision for online notification. This was due to the lack of distinction
between juveniles and adults and convictions triggering an automatic requirement for
lifetime registration and notification, including sometimes lifetime online notification and the
inability to use recidivism risk or case specific circumstances or the ability to reduce the
duration from life.
While this is positive, in that most at low risk to reoffend sexually, it might result in them not
receiving appropriate clinical services or supervision.
Perhaps rather than relying on a plea to protect our youth- it might make more sense to alter
the policies instead and make youth exempt from registration and notification until we can
ensure that policies are created that result in increased community safety.
Thank you!
If you would like more information about our agency, please
visit our website
www.cpcamerica.com