Sex Offenders With Ld's Essay

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Clare produced a paper in 1993 that attempted to address the issues of assessment and treatment of sex offenders with learning difficulties using a cognitive-behavioural framework. She explained that the amount of research and literature on sex offenders with LD’s was minute in comparison to the work carried out focusing only on sex offenders with no consideration for LD’s. Clare explains a person with a learning difficulty is generally viewed by many (APA, BPS etc…) as someone who has developmental problems associated with impaired conventional intellectual functioning i.e. an IQ below 70 and also impaired social functioning. Intellectual functioning can be measured using the WAIS-R, however it is more complicated to measure social functioning as there are still issues with providing an accurate measure. According to Holland and Murphy (1990) people with LD’s may as a result suffer from more psychiatric and behavioural disorders than the general population.
Clare looked at the general cognitive-behavioural assessment methods used when dealing with LD’s, and highlighted the limitations when applying some assessment methods. The first- poor memory of offenders with LD’s may make it difficult for them to answer questions even if fully cooperative. Secondly people …show more content…

She explains that within a cognitive-behavioural framework treatment takes places in two ways. The first is an attempt to reduce inappropriate thoughts, feelings and behaviours via the use of treatments such as aversion therapy, self-control techniques, covert sensitisation etc... The second aspect of the treatment of sexual offenders attempts to increase alternative and appropriate thoughts, feelings and behaviours through the use of social skills training, sexual education, psychotherapy and many other

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