Thursday, April 16, 2009

About Paraphilic Behavior


Persons with paraphilic disorders, e.g., pedophilia, ephebophilia, etc., demonstrate offending behaviors into the later years. There is no compelling clinical evidence that aging sex offenders have diminished capacity to offend. Sex offenders require life-long monitoring and support to diminish risk of re-offending.

The standard treatment for aging sex offenders resembles that of younger patients and includes careful monitoring, group and individual therapy, as well as pharmacological interventions as indicated. The use of antitestosterone medications in aging individuals carries greater risks than those of younger persons, and the risk benefit should be carefully weighed for each individual. Clinicians lack scientific precision in identifying individuals at high risk for re-offense. The prudent clinician will consider all sex offenders as potential threats and assist the patient in avoiding further harm to self or others.

http://www.alzbrain.org/