The purpose of this study was to determine what kind of treatment women convicted of molesting children thought they should receive and what they hoped to achieve in treatment. Data were collected from 14 offenders in individual and focused group interviews. The data were analyzed by constant comparison. During the interviews, offenders defined treatment in terms of what they expected it to do and how they would benefit. They described the context, process, and outcomes of treatment, ways in which people could help them and they could change themselves, and the kind of treatment that would help them deal better with men. These women wanted treatment to focus on alleviating the psychological suffering they experienced as a result of their convictions. They had limited insight into societal expectations regarding treatment-related behavioral changes.
© 2010 International Association of Forensic Nurses.