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Sunday, March 8
Opening Keynote – 1:30 – 3 pm
What Really Needs to Change: Understanding Risk Propensities for Sexual Recidivism
R. Karl Hanson, PhD, CPsych
Individuals with a history of sexual crime often have a range of life problems, not all of which are related to their sexual recidivism risk. This presentation identifies the characteristics with the strongest empirical evidence, and provides guidance to understanding the core psychological features responsible for recidivism risk. Sexual recidivism risk factors can be grouped into three broad dimensions:
a) general antisociality (e.g., poor cognitive problem solving, negative attitudes towards authority),
b) persistence/paraphilia (e.g., deviant sexual interests, sexual preoccupation), and
c) youthful stranger aggression (e.g., intentional victim harm).
Within each dimension are features that are stable propensities unlikely to ever fully disappear (e.g., low verbal intelligence, pedophilia, sadism). Nevertheless, most individuals with a sexual offense history eventually learn to manage their risk relevant propensities and no longer present a significant risk for sexual recidivism. Effective treatment advances naturally occurring adult development towards increased self-control, cooperation, and acceptance of others.
3:00 – 3:30 am – Break
3:30 – 5:00 pm – Concurrent Sessions
Estimating Sexual Recidivism Risk for Individuals Who Have Been Many Years Offense Free in the Community
R. Karl Hanson, PhD, CPsych
Using case examples, this session provides directions on how to combine initial risk and post index nonsexual offending into an estimate of current risk for individuals who have spent two or more years sexual offense free in the community.
The approach is based on the reliable, consistent time free effects described in our recent papers (Hanson et al., 2018 “Once a sexual offender, not always a sexual offender; Thornton et al., 2019 “Estimating lifetime and residual risk for individuals who remain sexual offense free in the community: Practical applications”).
The case examples will use the Static-99R and STABLE-2007 risk tools; however, the general approach would work for any credible method of estimating initial risk. Participants are encouraged to bring their laptops so that they can practice with a time free calculator (an EXCEL file), which will be distributed in advance.
Trauma and Sex Offender Treatment: Bridging a Gap
Belinda Martinez, MA, LPC-S, LSOTP, CCFC, CCTS-S
Martinez Counseling Services
This session is intended to assist providers in taking short steps in assisting clients by meeting needs that had not previously been considered in adult treatment. Trauma-based services engage clients as a collaborative process, looking at the whole person. Incorporating education and brief skills training into treatment that focus on trauma, help clients engage in services and incorporate skills, in a nonthreatening way. We have learned that a trauma response can have overlapping consequences into offending behaviors; and as we understand the role of trauma in our clients, we can take steps to assist in the recovery process, both from trauma effects but also sexually offending behaviors.
Trauma-based services can easily be incorporated without disrupting sex offender treatment and can work in conjunction to minimize potential problems often seen at the onset of services, while magnifying client engagement. This session will review: ACES, brief descriptions of child development, physiological and neurological impact of trauma, psycho-educational interventions, evidence based treatment methodologies, and brief treatment interventions.
Treating Juveniles with Sex Offending Behavior Problems Pre-Adjudication
Mark Harris, LCSW, LSOTP, MFSV
Adult-Partner-Family-Child, LLC
This session will show you how to adjust your treatment plan and interaction to allow for: male or female; IQ and EQ level of development; sexually abused or not sexually abused; reactive or predatory; adjudicated or non-adjudicated; Child Protective Services involvement; admitting or not admitting; criminal or civil cases or both; and when to recommend an Abel Assessment.
Familial Trafficking, Trauma and Recovery
Christine Cesa, MA
Survivor Leader and Advocate
Attendees will learn about the typology of familial trafficking within Human Trafficking. The intersections are multifaceted and involved severe traumatic. Every day victims of human trafficking in our community are being exploited while they are present and interacting with the community. These minors are not invisible, yet professionals fail to recognize the signs and are unprepared to intervene. The presenter will review her own case study of familial trafficking, highlighting often untold situations of commercial sexual exploitation of children. Describing how trafficking impacted every dimension of life; educationally, physically, emotionally, spiritually and psychologically. In addition, trauma and recovery will be shared. Attendees will learn about recent data and indicators to look for.