ABSTRACT
For individuals who commit sexual crimes (ICSO), denial is common. Admissions of guilt can result in unfavorable legal positions and lead to tighter supervision restrictions, further reinforcing one’s choice to maintain innocence. While common sense tells us that, for one to stop a behavior, it must first be acknowledged, the Association for the Treatment and Prevention of Sexual Abuse Adult Practice Guidelines states that “… the influence of denial and minimization on sexual recidivism risk has not yet been clearly established.” Research is mixed about whether denial increases risk; in many cases, denial has not been found to increase. Despite these findings, many stakeholders require the ICSO to admit wrongdoing, employing non-scientific methods to solicit admissions. Trying to reduce or eliminate denial can impair rehabilitation. Utilizing strategies developed to mitigate risk without requiring admissions of guilt may yield better results. We review the prevalence of denial in sex offense cases, the motivation behind denial, the impact of denial on treatment progress and risk for reoffense, the conflict between psychology and the legal system regarding denial, the history of treatment for ICSO, a model for treating those who are categorical deniers, and the results of research examining this approach.
