Community Responsibility Program (CRP)

Developed in 1985, this Diversion and Transition program was designed for low- to moderate-risk sex offenders and primarily treats offenders who have committed crimes against children. The program consists of intensive group and individual psychotherapy and psycho-educational classes for residents and nonresidents. It involves a residential minimum sentence of four years and can be extended depending on the offender’s progress. Residency phases are:

• Initiation and evaluation
• Community integration
• Transition – In this phase, the client prepares for nonresidency.

Individuals in the residential phase live together in a separate facility supporting the concept of a modified therapeutic community. This enhances program success. Program therapy is supervised by the Director of Program and Residential Services, a licensed social worker and registered with the Colorado State Sex Offender Treatment Board. Treatment is also monitored by the Clinical Coordinated for Sex Offender program, a licensed professional counselor registered with the Colorado State Sex Offender Treatment Board. In addition, independent contractors and a staff therapist provide offense group treatment on a weekly basis. All groups have a minimum of two therapists who meet registration criteria of the Colorado Sex Offender Treatment Board. After completing the residential phase, offender may move to nonresidential status. The nonresidency program’s goals are:

• to improve the capacity of the individuals to maintain lengthy interpersonal relationships with wives and significant other persons
• to support and facilitate family reintegration when this is supported by the Department of Social Services and individual parties
• to provide for community safety by close supervision of sexual offenders
• to enhance relapse prevention efforts
• to monitor interpersonal relationships

The program supplements offense-specific group therapy with psycho-educational classes, i.e., anger management, empathy, thinking errors, human sexuality, interpersonal relationships, alcohol/drug classes and treatment and relapse prevention. Phallometric (penile plethysmograph) evaluations to assess arousal levels are administered during the first three months of admission. The Abel Screen is also used to evaluate deviant sexual interest. Ongoing polygraph examinations are used in conjunction with a strong case management and surveillance model to emphasize public safety concerns. Overall outcome data indicate there has been a 5.4 percent sexual recidivism rate since the program began in 1985.

Currently, all applicants need to be classified as “direct sentence” clients with a minimum sentence of four years and a maximum sentence of no more that 12 years. All applicants will need to be referred to ComCor by their local probation department and their local community corrections board. Clients who have a history of violence, sexual violence or carry a classification of “Sexual Violent Predator” will not be considered for this program.

A case manager and members of the clinician staff make an initial screening of each candidate. The criteria for entry into the program include, but are not limited to: admission of the sex offense, adequate reading and intellectual skills to participate in the program, no multiple examples of antisocial behavior, no history of violent or ritualistic sexual deviance, no history of adult rape, and if involved with drugs or alcohol, a demonstrated willingness to control one’s addictive behavior. Prior to entry, a candidate will review and sign a fairly lengthy treatment and monitoring contract. The contract ensures the client is aware of the various levels of control and supervision that exist within the program.

The CRP program is a treatment program in a correctional setting and is designed to bring the best treatment approaches available. The offender’s progress during the resident phase of the program depends on commitment to following the rules of ComCor, his treatment contract and his active involvement in the CRP treatment and education activities. To further this goal we have listed four objectives that the offender has to master to successfully complete this program. They are:

• to recognize and take responsibility for sexually deviant behavior by fully acknowledging the impact of such behavior on the victims, the offender’s families and communities.
• to understand the origin and development of sexually deviant behavior and thinking in the context of the offender’s life and use this understanding to control future victimization of others.
• to learn to control sexually deviant behavior and fantasy through responsible behavior and fantasy that respects the needs of others.
• to demonstrate, through participation in this therapeutic community program, progressive ability to assume responsibility for community living.

Michael Baker, LPC
719 473-4460
MBaker@comcor.org

Treatment is run under the Diversion or Transition Correctional Programs