Title Details

PHIL RICH, EDD, LICSW, DCSW, is Clinical Director of the Stetson School, a residential care facility for young sexual offenders. He also maintains a private mental health practice for individuals, couples, and families. He is the author and creator of the Healing Journey series, as well as The Grief Counseling Homework Planner and The Divorce Counseling Homework Planner, all published by Wiley.

Part I: Understanding the Juvenile Sexual Offender.

1. Working with Juvenile Sexual Offenders: Framing the Ideas and the Tasks.

2. Sexually Abusive Behaviors, Victims, and Perpetrators.

3. The Juvenile Sexual Offender: Commonalities and Characteristics.

4. Sexual Learning and Personal Development in the Sociocultural Environment.

5. Pathways to Juvenile Sexual Offending.

Part II: Assessment of the Juvenile Sexual Offender.

6. Evaluation of the Juvenile Sexual Offender and the Assessment of Risk.

7. The Purpose and Construction of the Structured Clinical Assessment Tool.

8. Conducting the Juvenile Sexual Offender Assessment.

9. Diagnosis and Assessment of Comorbidity.

Part III: Treatment and Rehabilitation of the Juvenile Sexual Offender.

10. Forensic Mental Health Treatment.

11. Overview of Treatment.

12. Rehabilitation: Treatment in Practice.

13. Principles and Practices: Psychodynamic, Cognitive, and Behavioral Treatment.

14. Common Factors and Evidence-Based Treatment.

15. An Integrated Approach to Treatment.

16. Thinking Errors and Behavioral Cycles.

17. The Relapse Prevention Plan.

18. Victim Clarification.

19. Individual Therapy.

20. Group Therapy and Group Leadership.

21. Family Therapy.

22. Treating the Whole Child in a Whole-Minded Manner.

References.

Author Index.

Subject Index.

Phil Rich's book "Understanding, Assessing, and Rehabilitating Juvenile Sexual Offenders" about the assessment of adolescents who sexually abuse others, therapeutic intervention with this client group and rehabilitation, is a very comprehensive and readable piece of literature. The breadth of information provided in the book, combining current research and clinical practice, seems to make it an ideal manual for people starting out in the field of adolescent sexual abusers as well as for people working clinically with the client group but who have little access to current literature advocating new research findings.
Well-researched, Phil Rich critically reviews in Section I the current knowledge and research base on Juvenile Sexual Offenders. Section II, emphasises one of the most important topics when working with Juvenile Sex Offenders, that is, the assessment of risk and inherent difficulties in assessing risk of recidivism in juveniles who sexually abuse. Section II introduces the rationale, application and usefulness of Stetson's/Phil Rich's own Structured Clinical Assessment Tool. Finally, in Section III, the author approaches treatment and intervention with juvenile sexual abusers, providing a general overview of forensic mental health treatment from pharmacology to psychotherapy, and then more specific and offence-related work with the client group, advocating an eclectic as well as holistic approach to treatment and rehabilitation of the young offenders.
In sum, "Understanding, Assessing, and Rehabilitating Juvenile Sexual Offenders" is an enjoyable read, with the only critique being the use of the term "kids". Maybe this is an American versus British English thing, but it seems too colloquial a word for the nature of the book and the professional audience it is aimed at.

"...an essential resource for any professional working with juvenile sex offenders..." (Child Right, Jan/Feb 2004)

"Understanding, Assessing, and Rehabilitating Juvenile Sexual Offenders by Phil Rich is by far one of the best books on the market addressing this highly specialized group of youth. The author addresses the spectrum of issues related to etiology, developmental issues, and origins of sexually abusive behavior, to the complexities of doing a comprehensive assessment on clients. The book also thoroughly addresses the treatment needs of these clients using "best practice." This book belongs on the shelf of all professionals and others who come in contact or work with adolescents with sexual behavior problems. The book is brilliant" —Robert E. Longo, MRC; LPC, Corporate Director of Special, Programming and Clinical Training, New Hope Treatment Centers, Summerville, South Carolina

"A balanced, thoughtful, well-documented and conceived text. Dr. Rich has spent many years as a practioner. Clearly, he has grasped the increasing complexity of managing and treating a diverse population engaged in sexually abusive behaviors. This book is a highly useful overview text that is ideal for the new professional wanting to understa nd this specialized field but belongs in the library of advanced practitioners as well." —Steven Bengis, Ed.D., L.C.S.W., Executive Director

New England Adolescent Research Institute, Inc. This book represents a landmark in our understanding of sexual behavior problems in children: Dr. Rich has integrated theories of child development and sexual aggression into a cohesive whole. From assessment to treatment, he offers clear explanations of theory followed by specific suggestions for practice. Understanding, Assessing, and Rehabilitation Juvenile Sexual Offenders is worth owning for the breadth and depth of the reference list alone, but there is so much more to it than that. Anyone who needs to understand this complex problem—administrators, clinicians, corrections professionals, and policy-makers alike—should own this book. —Craig Latham, Ph.D., Natick, Massachusetts