Investigaciones referentes a la estabilidad de las NDCTs

The 15 sex offenders interviewed were far more positive than the probation officers interviewed, about therapeutic progress. However, sex offenders’ positive accounts of progress can be construed in terms of them underestimating, or being in denial of, the actual risk they pose. Moreover, as already explained, the sex offenders chosen for this study tended to be the more successful cases, so would be likely to have particularly positive stories to tell about rehabilitation. This notwithstanding, the good rehabilitative outcomes described below repeatedly occurred in the sex offenders’ accounts.

As explained above, the prison and community cognitive-behavioural sex offender groupwork programmes are the main rehabilitative tool used with sex offenders in the criminal justice system at this present time. Therefore, unsurprisingly, many of the rehabilitative gains talked about by the sex offenders - responsibility taking, victim empathy, insight into previous antisocial behaviour - took place within the groupwork setting, which is not the focus of this study. All the sex offenders also talked about the importance of consequential thinking, with some offenders describing a significant shift in identity and lifestyle, pro­

social developments which made re-offending, in their view, unfeasible. The sex offenders, like the probation officers interviewed, also described various important ways in which their one-to-one relationship with their supervising probation officers crucially supported and facilitated their rehabilitative journey.

The offenders described various interventions and skills displayed by their supervising officers, which seemingly aided rehabilitation. These instrumental aspects will be explored in more detail in forthcoming chapters. However, all the offenders described the overall quality of the relationship between them and their supervising officers as a significant factor in helping them to utilise their time on probation constructively.

It was clear that many of the sex offenders interviewed significantly valued the relationship with their supervising probation officer.

When I come and see him (my probation officer) it’s never felt that it’s been a chore or anything like that. It's been a pleasure (Offender 4).

I will always ask her opinion, and if it will benefit me in any way, shape or

Consistent with probation officers’ accounts, sex offenders described the importance of probation officers communicating regard, empathy and genuineness. In relation to the therapeutic quality of regard, Offender 4 stated that when his probation officer first met him, she probably thought, “Oh God! I’ve got another case here, another pervert.” However, since his probation officer had got to know him better, Offender 4 considered that his probation officer had come to view him with positive regard, in the following way.

Now; a man’s done an error in his life, and he’s tried to make things right as best he can, but he finds it impossible, but he’s going to try and do what he can (Offender 4).

Offender 13 described not only his probation officer’s “sincerity” but her empathic ability to perceive his state of mind.

She's sincere; it hasn’t taken her long to suss me out, she knows just by the way I talk. If I start to get anxious, if I got this problem, maybe that is like a warning to her. It's how I'm adapting, and how I'm behaving as a result of these triggers, these problems. If I start getting some CDs (cognition distortions) problems, she can see that, it’s a slight warning sign for me, not everything is going as well as it was last week (Offender 13).

Offender 12 described his perception of his probation officer as being “fair and honest,” characteristics akin to the therapeutic quality of genuineness.

I've always got on very, very well with (my probation officer), and it's like a friendly relationship, and she has always been very fair with me and I was very honest, and I have always tried to do the same back (Offender 12).

Bottoms (2001) described how involuntary clients can choose to comply with boundaries through ‘normative compliance’ based upon moral obligation rather than ‘instrumental compliance’ based upon deterrents and incentives. This was apparent in some of the offenders’ accounts, citing not wanting to lose the respect of the probation officer, or to let down the probation officer, as factors, among many others, preventing them from re-offending.

And (my probation officer) at the moment trusts me, I haven’t re-offended and that is why he trusts me. As soon as I re-offend I have to start my relationship with (my probation officer) over again (Offender 7).

I feel it would be letting him (the offender’s probation officer) down, if I re­

offended. He's like the main person I can visualise, also can inspire me to not re-offend. He's put faith in me (Offender 2).

That’s another thing. I never wanted to re-offend since 25 years, but even if that feeling did come back, I would pull myself up. ‘Look what these people have done for you. You can’t let them down.’ Speak to (my probation officer) about it. That’s what I would do if I had any problems like that. I’d get on the phone to my probation officer (Offender 1).

Philosopher Charles Taylor (1989), whose views on identity will be expanded upon further below, posits that identity is related to how human beings orient themselves to what they perceive as good. Taylor also makes the point that self is only constructed through language, in relation to others.

I am a self only in relation to certain interlocutors: in one way in relation to those conversational partners who were essential to my achieving self­

definition (p. 36).

From the accounts of sex offenders 7, 2, and 1 above, a process of pro-social self-definition appeared to be occurring, whereby the offender wants to be viewed as trustworthy and responsible by the supervision officer. The challenges involved in securing such a transformative process of rehabilitation, and how such rehabilitation can be achieved through strengths-based means, will be addressed in detail in the proceeding chapters.

5.5. Sex offenders’ accounts of good outcomes: awareness of the personal