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The issue of men with learning disabilities who offend sexually has received scant attention but is important for many practitioners in group care settings. This article argues that there is no absolute prescription for working with sexual abusers or offenders, but a recognition that some men with learning disabilities do engage in sexually abusive behaviour is the first step in establishing appropriate responses.

This study summarises the results of a cognitive‐behavioural treatment group for sexual offenders (n=14) with intellectual limitations in the community.

All participants were convicted sex offenders serving probation orders or prison licences who attended a 14‐month treatment programme designed for sex offenders with intellectual limitations. The programme comprised of five main components: sex education; cognitive distortions; offending cycle; victim empathy; and relapse prevention. All participants completed psychometric measures specifically designed for people with intellectual limitations before and immediately after completing the treatment programme. The four core measures include: Victim Empathy; Sexual Attitudes and Knowledge Assessment (SAK); Questionnaire on Attitudes Consistent with Sexual Offenders (QACSO); and Sex Offences Self‐Appraisal Scale (SOSAS).

Post assessment results reveal significant improvements in sexual offence related attitudes; reductions in attitudes relating to cognitive distortions and pro‐sexual assault beliefs; and significant improvements in victim empathy.

Although none of the participants have been reconvicted for committing new sexual offences during the follow‐up period, given that the follow‐up was restricted to 12 months post‐treatment, it is not possible to conclude this intervention was successful in reducing risk of sexual recidivism.

The results from this study support the use of cognitive‐behavioural approaches in demonstrating positive cognitive shift (reconstructing cognitive distortions and attitudes to victim empathy) for sexual offenders with intellectual limitations.

The relationship between accessing indecent images online and the perpetration of contact child sex offences remains unclear. The purpose of this paper is to provide a better understanding of the offence process of offenders who have both such convictions.

A total of eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with older adult males who had downloaded indecent images and also had a history of contact sex offences against children. Data analysis involved thematic coding based on guidelines suggested by Braun and Clarke (2006).

Themes which emerged suggest some similarities (offence process behaviours), but also some differences (developmental factors) between the eight offenders. Data relevant to developmental factors formed two primary themes: childhood attachment difficulties and experiences of childhood abuse, both of which appeared to influence the offence process. Escalating factors generated a further three themes: adult relationships, personality problems and substance use. Five main categories also emerged with regard to offence behaviours: sexually deviant interests, lack of self-control, opportunity, the role of the internet (availability, easy access and anonymity), and cognitive distortions (justifications: interest in challenge and sexual frustration; denial: accidental access and denial of a victim, normalisation; blame: blame on the victim, new technologies and authorities and blame on other factors; and minimisation).

A better understanding of the offence process would inform clinical practice with such offenders and aid in the process of prevention.

This is the first research to date which explores the rationale provided for their behaviour by those convicted of both internet and contact child sex offences.

The topic of offender rehabilitation has been subject to much research over the past decade. Numerous meta‐analytic reviews of offender treatment, particularly group treatment based on cognitive behavioural principles, have been reported. Together with the ‘triad of principles’ — risk, need and responsivity — they have formed the foundation upon which most offending behaviour interventions have developed. However, outcome data from existing programmes provides mixed evidence, and evidence for interventions for those in forensic mental health settings are still in their infancy. This paper critically considers the current evidence for the treatment of offending behaviour, and its application in forensic mental health settings, in order to inform development of such treatments in low secure mental health care. Most of the research focuses on non‐mental health settings, and is largely what will be considered here. The paper concludes that low secure interventions need to capitalise on the evidence of ‘what works’ while revisiting key concepts such as ‘dose’ and responsivity in order to design appropriate treatments. Individual outcome evaluation needs to form part of development in this area.

Increasing numbers of convictions for the use of child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) call for enhanced measures to prevent this type of offending. Strength-based approaches such as the good lives model have made significant contributions to the management of offenders who have sexually abused against children. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

The present study explored the application of these models to the rehabilitation and desistance behaviour of CSEM users, based on a thematic analysis of the self-managed desistance strategies employed by 26 offenders.

The findings confirmed the value of strength-based approaches in understanding self-management strategies used to enhance desistance behaviour in CSEM users.

The empirical and theoretical findings were then combined into a conceptual framework aimed to enhance preventative efforts and interventions targeted at undetected CSEM users.

This paper provides the first conceptual and empirical model of prevention and desistance behaviour specific to CSEM offending.

This article explores the use of the Good Lives Model and its relevance to people with a learning disability and forensic needs. The article presents the rationale for using the model; arguing that it has the potential to address the complexities of meeting both the person‐centred agenda in learning disabilities services and the public protection agenda in relation to the management of mentally disordered offenders, including those detained under the Mental Health Act (2007). The model is compared with other treatment models, such as the Risk‐Need‐Responsivity Model (RNR). The paper briefly explores how the model may be practically applied in a service for people with learning disabilities who have committed, or who are at risk of committing, sexual offences.

Offenders who have intellectual disabilities like any one else may deny their offence. This paper reports a case study of a man who admitted his offence and them accepted probation with a condition of treatment. However, when he attended treatment he denied the offence. Thus do those providing treatment send them back into the criminal justice system or work with them try and help them accept what they have done and provide appropriate treatment to help them reduce future risk of offending.

In this case study the assimilation model was used to understand the process of change and monitor change through exploratory psychotherapy. The psychotherapeutic model was psychodymnamic.

The client demonstrated gains through the stages of the model toward acceptance of his problematic behaviour and continued to work on this through further psychotherapy.

The assimilation model offers a useful approach to monitor change in psychotherapy; but especially when the client does not accept the problem the rest of the world feels they have.

This paper seeks to explore deeper into this subject in search of a new manner that can better aid ex-offenders to reintegrate back into society. The purpose of this paper is to ascertain the factors that influence the reintegration process of ex-offenders in the hope of further reducing reoffending and re-incarceration of offenders. This would eventually translate into a possible reduction in the resultant cost impact to the economy.

The study is primarily descriptive, it was hoped to find out the philosophical bases of what were was “effective” (e.g. in terms of helping ex-offenders find jobs, the support they received, etc.) in reducing recidivism. The study adopted a qualitative research framework where attention was devoted to understanding the experiences of 12 formerly incarcerated males, all whom have been out of prison for at least five years or longer. Those individuals participating in the study have been incarcerated in the prison of Singapore more than once and are no longer on parole.

The study indicated seven different factors that influence the success of reintegration. When these seven factors are put together, they increase the probability of success in their reintegration process. Hence, the success of re-entry of offenders after their release from prison is not merely dependent on one or two factors. Therefore, to maximise the rate of success for reintegration of offenders upon their release, a combination of the seven factors reported are essential for the reintegration process.

A limitation to this research was that both the halfway houses involved in the research process are faith based. Thus, the faith element was emphasised in the interviewing process. Currently in Singapore, there are no halfway houses that operate on a non-faith-based basis. It would be interesting to be able to interview and understand the perspective of individuals who have benefited from a non-faith-based programme and are successful in their reintegration back into the community.

From the themes emerged from the study, critical factors for reintegration of offenders were identified. When resources are invested to strengthen the factors from the study while working with offenders through their transition from incare to aftercare, it would ultimately decrease the rate of recidivism and reoffending.

Desiring to live a life without crime is often not an easy option for most incarcerated persons after their release as there are several challenges they often face when they are in the community. Some also found themselves unable to adapt to the mainstream culture when released. Problems they faced include difficulty in finding employment, the intricacy of reconnecting back with their families, finding accommodation, etc. Besides these challenges, they have to live with experiences when they were in prison, and for some, the time in prison resulted in them experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (Goff et al., 2007). These issues coupled with guilt and shame often resulted in them going back into crime and sometimes falling into abusing substance. When this happens, the cycle of crime and imprisonment perpetuates and the desire to reduce recidivism will not be achieved and both the individuals and the community they are in will be adversely impacted.

In Singapore, the Government has always been proactive in reducing recidivism. Various initiatives to introduce new programmes and alternative sentencing options started to assist in rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders. From the interviews of the 12 individuals who had successfully reintegrated back into the community, several themes emerged and factors that influenced reintegration are identified.

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect gender has on the public perceptions of offenders with mental health issues. The authors aim to understand how offenders with mental illness are viewed by the public so future information and practices can be implemented to further educate on the topic of mental illness. Research has shown that mental health education can be a pivotal part of reducing risk and crime among the mentally ill population.

This study applies a quantitative design using vignettes. There were four scenarios, two as controls, and two experimental variables to examine how responses differed depending on gender and mental health. Twenty statements then followed each vignette and participants were asked to share how much they aligned their opinions with each statement on a five-point Likert scale. The sample was comprised of 80 participants.

The findings of this study largely support the relevant literature on the topic of gender and mental illness in offenders. Overall, the public was the least supportive of female offenders with mental illness, followed by male offenders with mental illness, then male offenders and lastly the most support was directed towards female offenders. Therefore, the present study’s initial hypotheses are also supported in that female offenders will garner a more sympathetic reaction than their male counterparts. However, if female offenders have mental health issues, they are viewed more negatively than males.

For future replication of this study, the authors consider that a larger and more gender-balanced sample size would increase the ecological validity of the findings. Despite this, the findings of this study do fall in line with the relevant literature. Therefore, suggesting perhaps that the gender of the sample does not affect the overall outcome of the results.

Education regarding mental health for the public should be implemented as research has found this effective in de-stigmatising and helping to create protective factors to reduce offending. More training is needed for professionals within the criminal justice system, including police personnel, to ensure they are better equipped to consider the needs and behaviours of mentally ill individuals. The authors suggest that mental health awareness should be taught as part of the education system in the UK to help de-stigmatise and share helpful resources. The prison system in the UK needs to be able to provide better treatment programmes for inmates with mental health issues as research shows this is the most effective form of treatment at reducing recidivism.

The social implications of this study are that it aims to understand perceptions of mental illness, gender and offending and, therefore, use the conclusions drawn to inform what is needed to improve perceptions if necessary. De-stigmatising and acknowledging mental illness can allow for better access to appropriate treatment. Facilitating reintegration back into society, and, therefore, increasing peer support which has been shown to reduce reoffending rates within the mentally ill population.

There are very few research studies looking at the impact of both gender and mental illness on how offenders are perceived. Most relevant research tends to either pick one or the other and therefore the present study is unique. In addition, most established research looks at the perception of a specific population. Whereas the present study has used a small but broad UK participant sample which is likely to be more generalisable. Finally, the results of this research have been able to both meet the aims of the study and accept the proposed hypotheses.