All of our treatment groups and individual sessions are based on the “what works” literature. We target problems that stand the best chance of reducing recidivism and understand that our primary duty is to protect the community. By attending to short-term risk and security issues and long-term risk and rehabilitation, we believe that offenders can change, and the community will be safer when they do. We also strongly believe that no single part of the criminal justice system will be effective in its mission unless there is excellent communication between treatment providers and supervising agents.
We make every effort to keep referring parties informed of the client’s progress in treatment while maintaining reasonable confidentiality. This is often a balancing act, but we understand that other professionals cannot do their jobs effectively if psychological treatment takes place in a vacuum. We encourage professionals to call with questions or concerns at any time. Changes in the treatment are always a team decision between the supervising agent, the therapist and the client; no individual “graduates” until all three parties agree that it is the most appropriate treatment decision based on the client’s individual history, treatment progress, and current situation. The offender’s treatment is continually re-evaluated and refined to accommodate the offenders’ risk, need, and responsivity. Achieved success in treatment is not determined by a definitive time limit (as offenders are often quite skilled at “doing time” when mandated), but rather by consistent and repeated demonstration of newly acquired, adaptive coping skills/behaviors associated with a prosocial lifestyle. Offenders and supervising agents are provided consistent feedback regarding the offender’s progress in treatment, so that alteration/termination of treatment is a planful and deliberate process by the treatment provider and the supervising agent. Changes in the offenders status, life circumstances, behavior and attitudes observed by the supervising agent and/or the treatment provider result in revised treatment plans that address their new needs. The collaborative relationship between the treatment provider and the supervising agent ensures that offenders are not over treated, under treated, or given treatment that is not focused on criminogenic factors.