Addressing Denial and Promoting Accountability in Sexual Offending Treatment
This webinar is primarily for professionals involved in the treatment, evaluation, and management of individuals who have committed sexual offenses. This includes practitioners in sexual offending treatment programs, criminal justice professionals, policy makers, and program administrators responsible for developing guidelines and ensuring evidence-based practices in offender management.
The roles of denial and accountability in the treatment of sexual offending have generated decades of controversy. A classic meta-analysis and several recent studies have consistently shown that denial is not a risk factor for recidivism. In spite of those findings, methods for treating people in categorical denial have been established and the importance of accountability as a critical aspect of rehabilitation has been emphasized by numerous authors (including Judith Herman). Indeed, research has indicated that clients in sexual offending treatment cite overcoming denial and developing empathy for those harmed as among the most impactful components of their treatment. Questions therefore arise regarding the core objectives that such treatment programs should prioritize.
This presentation examines the approach of the Colorado Sex Offender Management Board (SOMB), a statutory body established in 1992 to develop guidelines for the evaluation, treatment, and behavioral monitoring of those who sexually offend. The SOMB’s mandate encompasses two primary objectives:
- Promoting evidence-based rehabilitation of those who commit sexual offenses
- Ensuring the safety of people who have been victimized
Like many other agencies, the SOMB recognizes the research related to offender denial but focuses on it as an issue of treatment responsivity rather than risk. In addition, the SOMB emphasizes the importance of offender accountability in the healing of survivors of sexual assault.
This presentation and subsequent discussion focus on three key areas:
- Denial and Accountability: Issues and Research
- Interventions for Addressing Denial
- Challenges for Practitioners
Who's Presenting
Christopher Lobanov-Rostovsky
Christopher Lobanov-Rostovsky was appointed as the deputy director of the Division of Criminal Justice in August 2024. From 2006 until August 2024, he served as the Program Manager for the Office of Domestic Violence and Sex Offender Management, overseeing the work of both the Sex Offender Management Board and Domestic Violence Offender Management Board within the Colorado Department of Public Safety. In this capacity, he was responsible for developing sex offense treatment and supervision standards, approving treatment providers, and providing legislative and policy input.
Mr. Lobanov-Rostovsky also serves as a Native American tribal training and technical assistance associate for the National Criminal Justice Training Center (NCJTC) at Fox Valley Technical College, a role he has held since 2009. Through this work, he has trained tribal professionals on sex offender management, treatment, and substance use interventions, and has provided technical assistance for program development and evaluation.
He holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan and has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) since 1990. Mr. Lobanov-Rostovsky has provided training and technical assistance for a variety of federal, state, tribal, and private agencies to develop and enhance policies and practices. He was the co-project consultant lead for the U.S. SMART Office’s Sex Offender Management Assessment and Planning Initiative (SOMAPI) and has published numerous journal articles and book chapters related to sex offender management public policy. He is the recipient of the 2015 National Adolescent Perpetration Network Advocacy Award for his work promoting evidence-based policies and legislation. Earlier in his career, he worked as a clinician and approved treatment provider and evaluator for both adult and juvenile populations involved in the criminal justice system, including clients who were perpetrators or victims of sexual crimes.