Title: Sex Offender Treatment and Assessment | Washington State Department of Corrections
Headings: Sex Offender Treatment and Assessment
Sex Offender Treatment and Assessment
The three primary goals for the Sex Offender Treatment Program are:
Learn More about Sex Offender Treatment
Prison Treatment
The goals of group therapy include:
Offenders admitted to the sex offender treatment programs must meet the following criteria:
Community Treatment
The goals of group therapy include:
Rules in the Community
Supervision:
Registration:
Living arrangements:
Treatment:
Alcohol and drugs:
Contact with past and potential victims:
Relationships:
Entertainment:
Employment:
Weapons:
Financial obligations:
Resources
Policies
Laws
Revised Code of Washington (RCW)
Resource Links

Content: This model outlines practices to provide treatment to the higher risk offenders, targeting criminogenic needs, and delivering treatment through a cognitive behavioral approach. The Department of Corrections defines recidivism as "any felony offense committed by an offender within 36 months of release from prison which results in a readmission to prison." In 2015, the Department is able to examine recidivism rates of offenders completing the SOTAP and being released from prison as recently as 2012. Results indicate all sex offenders released from the Department of Corrections prisons had a recidivism rate of 18.2 percent and sex offenders who did not complete SOTAP had a recidivism rate of 21.5 percent, while sex offenders who completed SOTAP recidivated at a rate of 6.5 percent. It is believed that the rates of recidivism among sexual offenders who complete the SOTAP may increase due to the selection of higher risk candidates beginning in 2013. The DOC will continue to monitor trends and make changes to the program accordingly. In general, the single largest felony sex offense bringing sex offenders back to prison (86 percent) is for failing to register. An estimated 95 percent of the sex offenders sentenced to prison eventually return to the community. Sex offender treatment is part of the Department's commitment to improving public safety. In a comprehensive effort, the Department provides programming through the RNR model and customizes interventions to address the specific criminogenic needs of individual offenders.