The author is an art therapist at the Children's Center for Behavioral Development, Centerville, Illinois. He is currently working with juvenile sex offenders. The article was informative as to the sex offender's maladaptive behavior patterns and the positive role of art therapy as an intervention tool.

Mr. Gerber gives an overview of the characteristics and pattern cycle of the adolescent sex offender. Research since 1986 that focused on an intervention model for young offenders who often begin offending as early as 8 through 16. It is believed that by beginning treatment in the form of cognitive - behavioral models, the offending cycle can be interrupted before it has become a well-ingrained pattern of behavior. Treatment includes helping the offender to understand his/her offense cycle which includes "the circular chain of events, thoughts, fantasies and feelings which lead to the offense." (p 367} Although juvenile sex offenders differ in their patterns, the author states there are common traits to all these offenders.

"1. Lack of accountability. Common cognitive error in thinking patterns allow for denial, blame of others or minimization of their own responsibility for their behavior.

2. Inability to identify common feelings states.

3. Lack of empathy for others.

4. Lack of understanding and respect for boundaries of others.

5. If you have a healthy relationship with peers and/or adults

6. Common thread of abandonment, lost and betrayal issues from early childhood.

7. Low self esteem.

8. Offense is seldom for strictly sexual reasons. common themes are power and control, conquering the trauma of the of his or her own victimization, anger, revenge, and inadequacy." {p 268) The author has used are therapy to assist the offender in the identity of the situational, psychological and behavioral elements involved in the individual's cycle.

In many forms of therapy the therapist is supportive or neutral to the cognitive verbalizations of the client. Sex offenders and, however, use denial or minimization which make them resistant to these normal forms of therapeutic intervention.

During art therapy it is difficult for the offender to use these normal defends mechanisms because the offender uses a concrete visual image which makes denial difficult. "What appears to the central to the effectiveness of the art process in this treatment is the creation of an object (art product) in which the clients internal processes can be externalize to and given concrete form." [p. 368 ] Art Therapy with this type of offender also requires that the therapist be confrontational, but as he other therapies, maintaining a respectful nature.

The other issue inherent to sex offenders, that of the lack of emotional affect, is also particularly conducive to art therapy intervention. During normal effective talk therapies the individual generally relates verbally causing an emotional or abreactive emotional response. During art therapy the emotional content to use placed at a safe distance. "it allows clients to illustrate and his inner experienced and give it concrete form. The volatile, threatening experiences may then be viewed from a safe distance." {p369} This process would minimize the need more the offender to utilize his normal defense mechanisms and diminish negative flooding of strong emotions. In the case of art therapy with victims of sexual abuse it is a valuable tool as the therapist and explores emotional content in a supportive way. With offenders the therapist can explore in a confrontational way the abuse cycle of the client. "The art object remains outside and provides a vehicle for reintegration. This tolerance can than generalize into the clients overall functioning and diminish the need to reduce tension through invasive sexual activity." (p 369} the client is first allowed to address the art form in a detached way and later in more specific components.

Gerber states that the use of art therapy with sex offenders has three major goals for therapeutic intervention. First is accountability of the offender to the offense; the second used to as is the offender in reopening the door for his or her emotional affect which has been dormant. The third goal is a result of the second goal, to assist the offender in "understanding and exhibit of empathy for the victim of his or her offense." {p 370)

The author who initiated the tools in group sex offender situations described specific art therapy interventions. Gerber asked group offenders to make masks of themselves as perpetrator and another as victim, both displaying the feeling states. Upon completion, the group had to formulate a conversation between the victim and perpetrator mask where they played both victim and offender. This treatment intervention was used to create an empathy collage where each member had to select a picture depicting another in group. Once the collage was created, the group discussed such questions as widely image was created in, and how they reacted to the image selected by others. The author stated, "juvenile sex offenders are often self absorbed and narcissistic. Tasks such as this are valuable in helping the individual to see outside of themselves, understand another person's perspective and to develop social interaction skills. Other uses of art therapy are to have the offender draw of pictures, which show their boundaries, and those of others. In many cases the therapist can then address the power and control issues of the offender in such ways as displaying within the picture the differences of age, the size or knowledge discrepancies. Particularly useful, were exercises where the offender was required to draw a sequence of pictures depicting their own high-risk situations. These were situations, which showed their own patterns leading up to, acting out the offense and the later consequences. It was requested that these pictures display as much sensory detail as possible. By also showing the consequence, example - being arrested, the fantasy aspect of the offender's pattern is brought back into reality. It was emphasized that the offender's pattern of maladaptive behavior is deeply ingrained and supported psychologically, physiologically, and emotionally. In order before art therapy treatment to be useful, the offender requires constant repetition in order to internalize the more adaptive behavior patterns.

Copyright Noel Clark 1998