Sidebar: Therapy optional for adult sex offenders

Published: 9/17/2007 6:01 AM
By James Fuller

One of the ironies of Illinois' correctional system results in some sex offenders never receiving a minute of corrective therapy to ward off repeat offenses.

State guidelines call for every sex offender who commits a crime as a minor to receive mandatory therapy while incarcerated. But there's no such rule for adult sex offenders. Therapy for them is optional in prison.

Many of the adult inmates who refuse treatment may be the most likely to commit another crime, said Alyssa Williams-Schafer, state corrections department sex offender services coordinator.

"A lot of these offenders are in denial," Williams-Schafer said. "Some of them don't want to have to deal with their offense."

Many offenders are so adamant in their belief that they've done nothing wrong that they forego the favorable chance at early parole therapy gives them and serve their full sentences, said Dr. Mark Brenzinger, a clinical psychologist in Schaumburg who's treated and evaluated sex offenders.

Illinois' rules only mandate sex offenders on parole to receive psychological treatment. But offenders who've served their full sentence can get out of prison without ever addressing or recognizing their crimes in therapy.

Brenzinger said even the sex offenders who do enter therapy are tough cases.

"Many will tell you whatever it takes just to get back into the community," he said. "Talk therapy just doesn't work for everybody," he added. "And there's a high failure rate because this is a tough population to treat."