Sex offenders are becoming a major threat in today’s society. Every day, we hear news about a minor being sexually assaulted by an adult and we can’t help but feel a certain degree of fear because our children could be the next victim. A lot of people have been educated, especially parents, in how to deal with sex offenders to protect our safety. We can do as much safety measures as we can but all this really does it prevent a sex offender from performing a crime. Their drive to commit crimes is still there, although restricted. Is there a way to effectively treat a sex offender? More importantly, what lurks in their minds?

First of all, we need to keep in mind that all sex offenders can’t be stacked in the same shelf. The term “sex offender” covers such a wide area. A rapist and a pedophile are sex offenders but have different modus operandi and different desires. For rapists, several studies have shown that a vast majority suffers no mental disorder or have anti-social tendency. Paraphilias, on the other hand, suffers from anxiety, depression and some are even flat out psychotic.

Treating a sex offender is no laughing matter, for years researchers have conducted studies to determine the factors behind the sexual stimulation of a sex offender. In some cases, a sex offender is subjected to a penile plethysmography. This procedure is done in a laboratory and measures the erection of the offender after being subjected to several sexual stimuli. This method has successfully identified which subjects have sadistic tendencies and use unnecessary force.

Although it has met some success, this method is still not accepted by everyone. The reliability of this test leaves more to be desired. This is because there is no standard procedure in performing plethysmography. Different laboratories use different stimuli and interpret the data in their own way. In some cases, an adult male may be aroused by an image of minors but have not been convicted of sex crimes. Other respondents also tend to either suppress or force arousal, compromising the integrity of the test.

For now, a standard treatment for sex offenders has not been discovered. Until researchers have found a way to find a definitive method to document the specific factor behind a sex offender’s desire, it remains a mystery to us all.