Recidivism and treatment attrition among persons who sexually offend (PSOs): applying the integrated risk assessment and treatment system (IRATS)

Abstract

The aim of this thesis was to investigate whether the Integrated Risk Assessment and Treatment System (IRATS; Looman & Abracen, 2013) can provide an explanatory framework for understanding persons who sexually offend (PSOs). The IRATS is comprised of several overarching components: Deviant Sexual Arousal, Psychological Vulnerability, and Criminality. Study 1 investigated whether the IRATS components predict the likelihood that an incarcerated sample of PSOs will engage in sexual recidivism. This sample consisted of convicted PSOs who were assessed at the Regional Treatment Centre High Intensity Sex Offender Treatment Program (RTCSOTP), provided by the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC). Study 2 investigated whether the IRATS components predict the likelihood that a community sample of PSOs will terminate their treatment prematurely. This sample consisted of PSOs who were assessed at the Sexual Behaviours Clinic (SBC) at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). The results of both studies indicated that the three components, together, significantly predict the outcomes of interest, and the Criminality component appears to drive this relationship. Implications of these findings are discussed herein.