The Juvenile Sex Offender Program is designed to meet the Colorado Sex Offender Management Board's Standards and Guidelines for The Evaluation, Assessment, Treatment and Supervision of Juveniles Who Have Committed Sexual Offenses. Our therapists providing services for this program, Tom Kurtz and Dudley Black, are board certified full operating level juvenile treatment providers; and Tom Kurtz is a full operating level juvenile sex offender evaluator and licensed site for the administration of the ABEL Assessment, for sexual interest. The Fourth Judicial District (El Paso County, Colorado) Office of the District Attorney and Probation Department also approves our JSOP program for evaluations and therapy of juvenile sex offenders who are court ordered into treatment. We have additionally provided services for Teller County, Fremont County, Douglas County, Lincoln County, and several other southeastern Colorado counties.

The program is designed to identify, evaluate, and treat juveniles who have committed sexually abusive behaviors. Sexual offending behavior occurs when there is a lack of consent, lack of equality, or the presence of coercion. While most juveniles in this program are referred by the court because they were charged and/or adjudicated with felony sexual assault behavior, some have misdemeanors and even fewer were not charged but have a sexually abusive history or sexual addiction. The duration of this program is generally eighteen months to two years of treatment however in some cases treatment may be either less or longer depending on individual circumstances. We also provide a similar program that is offered for juveniles who are either at a RISK for developing deviant sexual problems or who have committed lesser offenses.

Treatement Providers
Approved JSOP Providers:
Dudley-Siglar-Black, MA, LMFT, CHT
Thomas Kurtz, MA LMFT

JSOP Treatment is comprised of four phases

1. Phase One involves Assessment. All juveniles who have committed sexual offenses are required by the Standards to have a comprehensive juvenile sex offense specific evaluation before entering into treatment. Usually this is done during the presentence investigation. Additionally, all individuals in this program must complete an assessment of their sexual arousal patterns via the ABEL Assessment for sexual interest.Finally, all participants must pass a polygraph examination regarding their sexual history. The purpose of these assessments is to help the juvenile honestly disclose their sexual history so that appropriate treatment planning can be established.

2. Phase Two involves Engagement. All juveniles in this program must acknowledge their need for treatment, attend group and individual therapy sessions as required, cooperate and actively participate in treatment, participate in psychiatric services if needed, comply with all other mandates of court or probation order, and maintain a treatment journal and financial responsibility for their treatment. Parents/guardians must also comply with the court or probation contract, complete informed supervision training, and follow through with any recommended family therapy during this phase of treatment. Failure to do any of the above is considered an engagement problem which could result in mandatory reporting to the referring agency.

3. Phase Three involves Intervention. This is the bulk of treatment in the JSOP program. It involves learning new skills and tools to manage moods, behaviors, and relationships; identifying antecedents or contributing factors to offenses; understanding acting-out and behavior cycles; developing victim empathy including understanding the impact offenses have on victims; realizing high risk behavior - the various kinds of offensive or abusive behaviors and developing skills to avoid them; and learning about healthy relationships and sexuality.

4. Phase Four involves Integration. During this phase participants create relapse prevention plans and present them to their group for the unanimous approval of their peers and therapists. All clients in the program must complete a maintenance polygraph demonstrating integrity throughout the program at this time. Also when appropriate, clients will clarify their offense with their victims and/or family, and complete family therapy and reunification. The final task in the JSOP program that clients are required to do is to present their relapse prevention plan (RPP) to the referring agency. This may be the District Attorney's JSOP Board, or their Probation Officer and the RPP must be completed to the satisfaction and completion of their court requirement.

Additional treatment is allotted to any juvenile offenders who have needs that significantly differ from the majority of juveniles in this population. Special populations might include (but are not limited to) juveniles who: are females; are developmentally disabled; have a pervasive developmental disorder (such as Aspergers Disorder), who have co-occurring mental disorders (such as Depression, Conduct Disorder, or ADHD), or have learning disabilities; or who have significant sexual abuse histories. We are skilled in working with all of these populations.

Types of Services

»   Offense Specific Evaluations: (see juvenile sex offense specific evaluation)

»   RISK (Healthy Sexuality Group)

»   Informed Supervision Training

»   ABEL Assessment for sexual interest: Sexual interest assessment may be implemented if not completed in offense specific evaluation, and later in treatment to measure progress.

»   Polygraph Tests: Used as a part of denier treatment - Note: this service is contracted-out as none of our providers are polygraphists. When at all possible this service is provided at our offices so the clients will be familiar with the environment where they are being tested.

Client Population
Children and Adolescents eight to eighteen years old. Older young men and women are accepted into the JSOP program if their offense is handled through the juvenile justice system. We are able to treat adult offenders but they are not part of the JSOP program.

Both boys and girls groups are provided (not coed). We have a number of weekly JSOP groups. Individuals are assigned to a group according to their age and the serious of offense.

Developmentally Disabled juveniles are treated individually and in a group milieu as they are deemed appropriate and capable of thriving in the group milieu.

Pervasive Developmental Disordered youth (especially Asperger's Disorder) are often treated in individual therapy and group as deemed appropriate by therapists and multi disciplinary team decisions.

Service Objectives
To assess and recondition deviant arousal patterns and behaviors to prevent further incidents of sexual abuse.

Service Time Frame
Offense Specific Evaluations: Interviewing, testing and report writing should be completed within two to four weeks from date of first session with client. Provider may be requested to offer an oral recommendation prior to the completion of the written report.

Offense Specific Treatment:
Typically six to 24 months although individual circumstances may influence frequency and duration.