Good lives, self-regulation, and risk management : an integrated model of sexual offender assessment and treatment

TLDR: In this article, the authors argue that none of these models singly is sufficient to guide the assessment and treatment of sexual offenders, and that an integrated model that draws on research and practice in the development of case formulation, is most likely to be effective in achieving the goals of reduced recidivism, risk reduction, and reduced rates of sexual victimisation.

Abstract: In this article we follow-up on previous works pertaining to separate models of sexual offending as these relate to assessment and treatment: the Good Lives Model of offender rehabilitation (Ward & Gannon, 2006; Ward & Stewart, 2003), the Self-Regulation Model of the sexual offence process (Ward & Hudson, 1998), and our reconstruction (Ward, Melser, & Yates, 2007) of the Risk/Need/Responsivity Model of correctional intervention (Andrews & Bonta, 2003). Recently, the Good Lives and Self-Regulation Models have been integrated into a combined approach to the treatment of sexual offenders (Ward, Yates, & Long, 2006; Yates & Ward, 2007). In this article, we fully integrate these models into a comprehensive case formulation approach for use in the assessment, treatment, and supervision of sexual offenders. We also reconstruct here the SelfRegulation Model based on shortcomings identified in the framework, application to practice since its development, and integration with the Good Lives Model. We argue that none of these models singly is sufficient to guide the assessment and treatment of sexual offenders, and that an integrated model that draws on research and practice in the development of case formulation, is most likely to be effective in achieving the goals of reduced recidivism, risk reduction, and reduced rates of sexual victimisation.