ABSTRACT

Sexual off ending is known to be a major problem with legal, social, public health, and public safety ramifi cations. Th e forensic evaluation, treatment, and overall management of patients with problem sexual behaviors have posed signifi cant challenges to forensic mental health professionals over time. Patients carrying the stigma of having committed sexual off enses encounter signifi cant barriers to community integration, even for the successfully treated patient. Th ese matters are of great concern to many forensic mental health professionals, by the mere fact that problem sexual behaviors can oft en lead to criminal behavior. Th is being said, many individuals with deviant sexual interests will never engage in real-life deviant sexual behavior.