Issues in the assessment and treatment of male sex offenders with mild learning disabilities

The psychological assessment and treatment of male sex offenders has been of increasing interest in recent years, and a substantial literature, primarily cognitive-behavioural in orientation, now exists. However, there is little information about the application of this literature to men with mild learning disabilities (previously known as mild ‘mental handicap’), who have impaired intellectual and social functioning and are at increased risk of additional difficulties. This paper uses the cognitive-behavioural approach as a framework for presenting preliminary guidance on the assessment and treatment of men with mild learning disabilities. It should be emphasized that, at present, almost nothing is known about the outcome of attempts to intervene in the sex offending of this population.