Decentralized forensic aftercare of released sexual offenders: A survey of clinicians working with sexual offenders in Hesse

The effectiveness of treatment for sexual offenders is still a controversial issue. However, the majority of clinicians and researchers assume that professional interventions are basically able to reduce the recidivism rates of offenders, in particular when the implementation of treatment programs follows scientifically sound rehabilitation models like the >Risk-Need-Responsitivitr-model (RNR-model). Systematic implementation of these models is usually easier for centrally organized forensic aftercare outpatient clinics. In the meantime, a number of such forensic aftercare outpatient clinics were set up in Germany. However, a decentralized organization of forensic aftercare treatment for sexual offenders could also have some advantages: local practitioners provide treatment for released sexual offenders within their routine clinical practice. In the present study survey data are presented about the clinical work of local practitioners in Hesse. Based on the survey results the opportunities and potential problems of a decentralized intervention structure are discussed.