| Summary: | Sexual offending has been considered a serious crime and social issue because of the nature of the offence and its short-term and long-term effects on victims. Therapeutic interventions aiming to reduce the likelihood of reoffending (recidivism) is the core of treatment programs for individuals convicted of sexual offences (sometimes referred to in the literature as sex offender treatment programs, and herein also called sexual offence programs). Various pharmacological methods (e.g., hormonal treatment with medroxyprogesterone or cyproterone acetate, serotonergic antidepressants) and surgical methods (surgical castration) have been used in individuals convicted of sex offences. Comprehensive psychological treatment options including components ranging from behavior therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and relapse prevention have been developed as treatment programs for individuals convicted of sexual offences. In the era of telehealth, there has been interest in delivering sexual offence programs through videoconferencing or other virtual methods. The purpose of this review is to summarize evidence regarding the clinical effectiveness of sexual offence programs offered in the community, and virtually. Additionally, the report will also summarize evidence regarding the clinical effectiveness of culturally specific sexual offence programs, and evidence-based guidelines for best practice models
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