Treat Sex Offenders Essay

435 Words2 Pages

Why is it, or is not, ethical to involuntarily treat sex offenders? There has been controversy regarding the ethics of sex offender treatment because some individuals view treatment as a form of punishment by putting the community's concern and needs over the offender's rights, and the treatment being involuntary. However, I believe it is ethical to involuntary treat sex offenders. The reasons as to why I believe this is because treatment is not a form of punishment and that voluntariness is not a significant variable in this type of situation. "Like therapeutic interventions for other criminal offenders, sex offender treatment at its broadest level is a tool for promoting offender accountability, reducing recidivism, and enhancing public safety" (Przybylski, n.d.). Treatment is not a form of punishment. This is because it can adhere to the professional codes of ethics and follow a human rights and model and approach. Other researchers agree in this regard and also assert that "treatment does not necessarily have to support either …show more content…

"...many clients who participate in treatment do so without absolute voluntariness, as they may be encouraged to do so by family, friends, or the legal system" (Terry, 2013, p. 266). Voluntariness is based on the matter of degree, as one researcher claimed that prisons are not really in a position to exercise their freedom and be able to choose freely. This demonstrates how the factor of voluntariness concerning treatment is somewhat insignificant. Those who frequently believe treatment for sex offenders to be unethical bring up the fact that it is an involuntary act. For instance, participating in a treatment program and being offered more lenient sentences as an incentive. This trade-off, a shorter sentence for treatment participation, inevitably make sex offenders involuntary