Faculty Bibliography

Reviews the book, Forensic Group Psychotherapy: The Portman Clinic Approach by John Woods and Andrew Williams (see record 2014-09649-000). The primary aims of the criminal justice system are to punish, rehabilitate, and prevent future offending. This is complicated by the fact that certain offenders, especially those who have engaged in sexual or violent crimes, are often thought to be minimally responsive to interventions and at high risk of recidivism. Correctional programming has traditionally been time limited, behaviorally based, and embedded in external motivations for treatment. This book explores the potential value of group-based psychodynamic and analytic treatment for those with a history of sexual and violent offenses. Although there is hope expressed in these writings, the authors are also clear in describing the struggles that arise in treating this population. These include violence in the group setting, the difficulty in retaining group members, and the limits of confidentiality.