Citation

Patel K, Lord A. J. Sex. Aggress. 2001; 7(1): 40-50.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13552600108413320

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine why ethnic minority prisoners are proportionately less likely to participate in the Prison Service's Sex Offender Treatment Programme (SOTP). Twenty-four convicted sex offenders on SOTP were asked whether the treatment needs of their own culture were met and, if not, what changes needed to be implemented. The majority felt that SOTP did meet their treatment needs and that race and culture were not issues in this respect. However, a significant proportion criticised specific aspects of the programme: they felt that learning materials contained insufficient ethnic minority images or scenarios and that tutors could have been more responsive to their needs. These negative experiences were generally less marked when the respondent had at least one other ethnic minority offender on his SOTP group. Possible reasons for these findings are discussed and various suggestions for making treatment more relevant to ethnic minority sex offenders are proposed.