Social Skills and Human Relationships: Training for Sex Offenders
| DOI | 10.1177/000486589302600106 |
| Published date | 01 March 1993 |
| Date | 01 March 1993 |
AUST
&NZ
JOURNAL
OF
CRIMINOLOGY
(March 1993) 26 (47-58)
SOCIAL SKILLS AND HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS:
TRAINING
FOR
SEX OFFENDERS
Sue McCulloch-
47
The
writer
designed
and implemented a SocialSkills and Human Relationships
Training
Program
whichwasintroduced into one
of
Queensland'sprotection
prisons.
The
design
includedevaluation
procedures
which
were
appliedto a
group
study.
Six inmatesparticipated in the
program
which
involved basicand complexsocialskills and sexualrelationships
training.
The
results
indicatedthe
utilityof the
program,
especially
in terms
of
the acquisition
of
personal
insights.
Recommendations
forfuture
programs
include assessment
of
transfer
of
skillsto the community
setting.
The
essential
feature
of
the
program
wasits
flexibility
sothatthe individualneeds
of
eachinmate couldbe met as
fully as
possible.
Sexual offences, under Queensland law, include rape, incest, indecent dealings and
indecent assault (Queensland Criminal Code Act). Typically the sex offender is
viewed as emotionally and sociallymaladjusted, of average intelligence, has a history
of alcohol abuse
and
is often preoccupied with sexual fantasies (Western State
Hospital, 1976).
The
majority of offenders have had consenting normative sexual
experiences which were associated with guilt, shame and anxiety,
and
tended to be
impersonal (Groth and Loredo, 1981). Starr (1983) noted
that
the offender is
characterised by low self-esteem, and there is usually a history of loneliness, school
phobia and anti-social or non-social behaviour (Rogers and Cavanaugh, 1981).
Historically, with few exceptions, sexual offenders have been locked away with
limited attempts made to intervene in their problems. Bastani (1976), Giaretto
(1981;
1982),
and Russell (1984),point out that punishment is insufficient as it tends
to decrease the chances of recovery (and hence prosocial behaviour) through its
negative effect on self esteem, work, family, and social relationships (Braithwaite,
1980;Priestley, McQuire, Flegg, Hemlsey, Welham and Bamitt, 1984).
As is common with most social concerns, how the problem is conceptualised is of
critical importance in determining the focus of intervention (Duthie and McIvor,
1990; Haugaard, 1988; Kalichman and Henderson, 1990). One conceptualisation,
the individual deviance explanation referred to by Haugaard, is based on the
premise that "an individual's assaultive inclinations will never be cured, but that they
can be successfully restrained and controlled" (p 223). The re-education and
resocialisation models within this explanation involve sex and human relations
training, the goal of which is to develop competence in performing social tasks
(McFall,1990).
The training model is supported by Lafond, Stark and Buckley (1979), and by
Groth, Hobson, Lucey and St. Pierre (1981), who claim that deficits in interpersonal
relationships and attitudes can be altered by the development of effective social and
communication skills. The focus of their interventions thus concentrated on
developing these skills as well as addressing the offenders' introduction to, and
understanding of, his/her sexuality.
• Dip Teach, BA (Hons), M
App
Psych, Lecturer,
Department
of Justice Studies, Queensland University
of Technology.
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