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Abstract

The DSO (Dangerous Sexual Offender) offender category involves some of our society's most repulsive deviant acts-rapists/murderers, child molesters, and serial rapists.... consequently, the combination of the severity of these acts coupled with a lack of any clear and effective clinical treatment poses a clinical/legal dilemma. The DSO poses a clinical/custodial enigma in that often these individuals respond well to the custodial environment and that this adaptation is often confused with effective treatment results. As a result of these false positives it is difficult to predict the potential of these clients once they are released back into the general public. This article examines this phenomenon from both the legal and clinicalperspectives.

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Treating the Dangerous Sexual Offender: A Clinical/Legal Dilemma

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