SEX OFFENDER TREATMENT IN COLORADO, QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, PART 3

Will I Be Required To Take A Polygraph If I Am In SOMB Treatment In Broomfield County?

Yes, many polygraphs are required of sex offenders in sex offender treatment. In Adams, Jefferson, and Arapahoe County, periodic polygraphs are part of the treatment process. This treatment tool is designed to ensure that offenders tell the truth and do not hide risky activity or contract violations. This is the only objective tool that probation and SOMB therapists have to ensure compliance with their many rules and regulations. Interestingly, although polygraphs are not reliable enough for admissibility in court, they are used for decisions to revoke probation and send offenders to prison. Each polygraph costs $250.00 to $350.00, and you can expect one every six months if you are doing well, and more often if you are not. In addition, men may be required to take a penile plethysmograph (PPG) as a condition of treatment, but a PPG is not always required.

What Is A Penile Plethysmograph (PPG)?

A penile plethysmograph is an instrument used to measure the changes in blood volume in a man’s penis. Although the scientific data is not conclusive, treatment providers use the results to determine levels of deviant arousal. A flexible band is attached to the penis which is connected to a machine. The subject is then presented with images of adults and children in various states of undress, or sexualized situations. The changes in blood flow to the penis are measured and compared to what “experts” say are normal. If the offender is outside the normal range on the deviant side, the offender is treated accordingly. What would not be permitted to do to a human being in any other situation is sanctioned by the State of Colorado for the sake of “Public Safety.”

What Should My Attitude Be Toward My Douglas County SOMB Treatment Program?

The easiest path through Sex Offender Treatment is to take full responsibility for the offense you are convicted of. This can be a problem for Sex Offenders that take pleas because they were afraid of losing at trial. Sex Offenders that “deny” (the definition of this word is often debated) the offense(s) they plead to are placed in “deniers” groups until they “come around” or are terminated. Victim’s statements in Denver police reports are considered the absolute truth, and any deviation from a material issue is considered denial. This is another reason you need an experienced sex offender lawyer for your Adams, Arapahoe, and Douglas County criminal case. Your lawyer can build a record before the judge of what an offender must admit to and what is not necessary. This can make the difference between success and failure in treatment.

How Much Does Sex Offender Treatment Cost?

Almost all SOMB Treatment providers work for a private company or they have individual private practices, so rates can vary. Some have floating rates depending on the income of an offender. It is safe to assume a rate of $35 to $50 per week for group sessions. Individual sessions and required sessions for family members are usually a little more. Materials, workbooks, and testing is extra. Before entering a program a therapist will usually charge at least $1,000.00 for a Psycho-Sexual (or Offense Specific Evaluation) exam that will be used to classify the Sex Offender.

What If I Cannot Pay For My Arapahoe County Sex Offender Treatment?

The official answer is found in C.R.S. 16-11.7.7-105. The last phrase in the statute says “… and the offender shall pay for the treatment to the extent the offender is financially able to do so.” However, Sex Offenders are required to keep a full-time job to pay for all treatment-related expenses. If you do not make enough money to pay for these costs, Jefferson County probation officers will usually require you to take a second job as a condition of probation. Of course, they also advertise that you are a sex offender on the internet and require you to disclose your sex offender status to potential employers – both which make it difficult to find employment.

See further Sex Offender Treatment Questions and Answers, Part 4.