2 Treatment of sexual offenders, including rape, etc.

Many sexual offenders, including rape, etc., have the distorted thinking (cognition) of not regarding sexual damage as being serious and lack self-control (the ability to control one's own behavior with willpower). Correcting these problems with their dispositions is therefore very important in facilitating their reformation/rehabilitation. Treatment through “guidance for prevention of repeat offense for sexual offenders” and a “sexual offender treatment program” is therefore currently being implemented for sexual offenders in their correction and rehabilitation.

(1) “Guidance for prevention of repeat offense for sexual offenders” at penal institutions

At penal institutions “guidance for prevention of repeat offense for sexual offenders”, which is based on cognitive behavioral therapy theories, is provided to inmates that lack self-control or have distorted cognition that can be the cause of rape, forcible indecency, or any other sexual offenses in helping them to realize the errors in their thinking that sexual damage is not very serious and in accepting their inability to repress their sexual desires, while then helping them to think about how they should behave and make action plans to behave according to.

The subject inmates are gathered together at designated penal institutions after having been provided with an orientation to receive guidance for prevention of repeat offense for sexual offenders that is implemented by expert officials in cooperation with private clinical psychologists with knowledge on cognitive behavioral therapy, etc. There are three different courses, namely the high concentration, medium concentration, and low concentration courses. Those with the most significant problems receive 65 to 66 units (1 standard unit being 100 minutes long) of guidance during about eight months, those with medium problems 35 to 58 units during about six months, and those with the least significant problems 15 to 16 units during about three months. The guidance mainly takes place in group works. Subjects of guidance for prevention of repeat offense for sexual offenders that are intellectually disabled are provided with specially adjusted guidance which utilizes more illustrations, etc. (75 to 95 units).

In addition, review guidance is provided close to their release to make them review their action plans for controlling their own behavior.

(2) “Sexual offender treatment program” in probation/parole supervision

Under probation/parole supervision, any male probationers/parolees classified as “sexual offenders” under the categorized treatment system are obliged to receive guidance based on cognitive behavioral therapy theories and in accordance with the specialized treatment program of the “sexual offender treatment program” by being designated it as a special condition for the supervision.

The sexual offender treatment program involves probation officers interviewing probationers/parolees once about every two weeks for a total of five times in helping them to analyze their behavior at the time they committed the sexual offense and to think about how they could have controlled the behavior that was linked to the sexual offense at the various stages which led them to commit the offense in thus facilitating their distorted cognition of thinking that “I have to accept my inability to repress my sexual desires” then to be corrected. Guidance is also provided using audiovisual educational materials, etc. that contain the memoirs of victims of sexual offenses in thus enabling them to realize the significance of the damage their victims suffered and to think about concrete methods not to repeat sexual offenses as action plans. In addition, assignments such as recording their experiences in having their behavior altered by changing their way of thinking in their daily lives are given to them at the end of each interview.

Furthermore, after providing them with guidance five times the probation officers then regularly interview the probationers/parolees in identifying exactly how they are implementing the action plans not to repeat sexual offenses.

The information on any parolees who have taken part in a “guidance for prevention of repeat offense for sexual offenders” at a penal institution is taken into account in providing them with guidance.