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Book Review: Attachment and Sexual Offending: Understanding and Applying Attachment Theory to the Treatment of Juvenile Sexual Offenders

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
AuthorColin Hawkes
Published date01 June 2006
Date01 June 2006
DOIhttp://doi.org/10.1177/026455050605300215
Subject MatterArticles

Reviews 185
Attachment and Sexual
Offending: Understanding and
Applying Attachment Theory to
the Treatment of Juvenile
Sexual Offenders
Phil Rich
John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2005; pp 348;
£31.99, pbk
ISBN 0–4700–9107–X
Given that sexual offences often involve a relationship between victim and perpe-
trator more than other crimes it is not surprising that attachment theory has
emerged as one of the dominant explanations for the development of sexual
harmful behaviour. Phil Rich, who comes from a psychodynamic background, has
worked extensively in community and residential settings in America and has
written a valuable and accessible book on this subject. He highlights the many
shortcomings of current research and conceptual models while asserting the value
of an attachment-based perspective in the assessment and treatment of
adolescents who sexually offend. In terms of influence his publication sits along-
side other current contributors such as Lyons-Ruth, Sroufe, Smallbone, Fonagy and
Solomon.
The first half of the book is devoted to an overview of the biological, psycho-
logical and social elements of attachment and objectively analyses the inconsis-
tent terminology, definitions and research methodology that have led to some
exaggerated assertions of a proven link between insecurity of attachment in
infancy and the onset of emotional and behavioural problems in adolescence and
adulthood. In the second half, Rich moves on to look at evidence that for some
children the hard-wired imperative to seek proximity and a relationship with a
primary carer may be knocked progressively off course by trauma and internal
processes, so that causing sexual harm to others becomes a logical adaptive
behaviour that may become resistant and difficult to change.
Rich presents research findings from neurological as well as clinical studies to
support his argument for ‘attachment informed’ therapists and attachment-
structured treatment for young sexual offenders. He displays evidence that patterns
of behaviour, cognitions,...

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