Rehabilitating sexual offenders: lessons from the Correctional Service of Canada

The rehabilitation of sex offenders is a controversial and problematic issue. This study critically appraises the research that has been conducted regarding this issue and places it in a Canadian context by examining the programs offered by the Correctional Service of Canada. A complete review of the literature that exists was conducted and, from this, three themes were identified as the most problematic areas for the rehabilitation of sex offenders: additional programs for offenders, release of offenders into the community, and the effectiveness of the programs. The information gathered was critically appraised to ensure the credibility and validity of the information. Once verified, the information regarding these themes was compared to current information from the Correctional Service of Canada. After being compared, discussion into the differences between the research and the Correctional Service of Canada’s practices was conducted, and several recommendations were made into what the Correctional Service of Canada is thought to be doing effectively, and areas in which they may be able to improve.