Overview
Pennsylvania law defines a sexually violent predator as a person convicted of the sexually violent offenses specified under the law, and due to a mental abnormality or personality disorder is likely to engage in predatory (an act directed at a stranger or a person with whom a relationship has been established or promoted for the primary purpose of victimization) sexually violent offenses.
The law also requires that Sexually Violent Predators attend at least monthly counseling sessions in a program approved by the SOAB and be financially responsible for all fees assessed from such counseling sessions.
The SOAB created Sexually Violent Predator Treatment and Management Standards to provide a basis for the systematic assessment, treatment and management of sexually violent predators, by requiring best practice, sex-offender specific assessment and treatment interventions that are integrated into and coordinated with the offender supervision provided by probation and parole, correctional and other criminal justice authorities.
The primary goals of these standards are the enhancement of public safety and victim protection. These standards advance these goals by ensuring that the treatment afforded to sexually violent predators offers them the carefully supervised opportunity to develop the self-awareness, self-control and skills necessary:
- to foster victim impact awareness, where clinically appropriate
- to accept full responsibility and accountability for past and present behavior without cognitive distortion
- to identify, modify and control their sexually deviant behaviors by minimizing the internal and external precursors to such behaviors
- to comprehend and cooperate fully with treatment and supervision of indefinite duration
- to understand the consequences to self of re-offending.
More resources
- Association for the Treatment & Prevention of Sexual Abuse
- Bureau of Justice Statistics
- Child Molestation Research & Prevention Institute
- Darkness to Light Justice Research and Statistics Association
- Safer Society Foundation, Inc.
- Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner/Sexual Assault Response Team
- State Justice Institute
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