ABSTRACT
Alongside the 'management' and 'containment' of sex offenders there have long been attempts to effect 'changes' in the behaviour of sex offenders and to offer them 'treatment' to try and help reduce reoffending. For present purposes, the overarching theoretical frameworks to this work are divided into two the 'deficits-based' approach and the 'strengths-based' approach. The 'deficits-based' approach looks first at the 'risk' certain offenders pose and the 'needs' they may have; it then considers how the professionals should engage and respond to those risks and needs. The 'strengths-based' approach tries to focus and build on positive rather than negative attributes in an attempt to take people forward and away from further offending behaviour. The 'strengths-based' approaches developed partly in response to the growing dissatisfaction of the dominant 'deficits' approaches, and the emergence of positive psychology. 'Strengths-based' approaches attempt to move the focus away from risk factors and 'negatives' and seek to build on an offender's 'strengths'.
