P1: FYJ/GGT/GAY P2: GVG
Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment [saj] pp291-sebu-361275 November 8, 2001 20:31 Style file version Nov. 19th, 1999
Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, Vol. 14, No. 1, January 2002 (
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2002)
Collaboration Among Sex Offender Treatment
Providers and Probation and Parole Officers:
The Beliefs and Behaviors of Treatment Providers
Robert J. McGrath,
1,3
Georgia Cumming,
1
and John Holt
2
New and emerging collaborative responses to sex offender management are chal-
lenging traditional notions about how treatment providers and probation and
parole officers (POs) deliver services to this difficult population. Typically, sex of-
fender treatment professionals provide community-based servicestooffenders who
are supervised by POs. Yet, no comprehensive survey has investigated how treat-
ment providers and POs collaborate and view their relationships with each other.
This national random survey examined the beliefs and behaviors of community-
based adult sex-offender treatment providers concerning various types of provider
and PO interactions and collaborative models. Overall, treatment providers re-
ported that they value frequent and substantive communication with POs con-
cerning mutual clients. There was, however, considerable diversity in practice and
opinion among providers with regard to POs leading, coleading, and observing sex
offender treatment groups. Treatment providers’ opinions about various clinical,
ethical, and legal issues evident in these collaborative approaches are examined.
KEY WORDS: ethical standards; interagencycollaboration; probation officer; multiple relationships;
sexual offending.
INTRODUCTION
Recent estimates indicate that nearly 60% of sex offenders currently under
the control of correctional agencies in the United States are being supervised in the
community (Greenfeld, 1997). This percentage represents approximately 140,000
sex offenders on probation, parole, or other forms of community supervision. The
1
Vermont Department of Corrections, Middlebury, Vermont.
2
University of Vermont, Vermont.
3
To whom correspondence should be addressed at Vermont Department of Corrections, 105 Happy
Valley Road, Middlebury, Vermont 05753; e-mail: rmcgrath@sover.net.
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1079-0632/02/0100-0049/0
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2002 Plenum Publishing Corporation
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