Seattle University Collaborative Projects - International Academy of ...

European countries from 1997 to 2008 by analyzing the data from the Council of Europe AnnualPenal Statistics (Statistiques Penales Annuelles du Conseil du L’Europe). To characterizeunderlining developing trends, changes in sentencing and pretrial detention praxis as well ascharged offenses are studied. During this time period many European countries increased theirprison populations by increasing charges for drug offenses and property crimes as well aslengthening sentences. Because of the increasing number of prisoners, the development of prisonmortality and prison suicides as specific risks are additionally studied on the level of time-seriesper country.Therapy of Sex Offenders: The Risk of Negative Countertransference ReactionsJoachim Zeiler, Vivantes Klinikum, Berlin, Germany (joachim.zeiler@vivantes.de)The burden involved in being mentally ill includes stigma. The degree of stigmatization appearsto be linked to the fear elicited by bizarre, dangerous and morally offensive behaviour. Thesocial exclusion of the mentally ill is legitimized by a broad set of prejudices which comprisesstereotypes and negative emotions. Schizophrenic psychoses and paraphilias associated with sexoffending exemplify the quintessential danger of otherness. On a moral scale, sex offenders areascribed the lowest position because everyday reasoning tends to treat them as subjects withunimpaired accountability. They seem to consciously violate the idealized romantic lovestereotypeshaped by cultural tradition. This stereotype still functions as a guiding norm althoughsocial reality has generated a broad array of mating patterns. New paradigms of sexualbehaviour, formerly considered as deviant, are increasingly shaping mainstream attitudes.Against the backdrop of public rejection psychotherapy of sex offenders has to achieve aworking relationship. Therapists have to be aware of the risk of negative countertransference andto overcome their own cultural biases. They must reflect their personal biography, sexual historyand value orientation to facilitate therapeutic change. Therapeutic personnel working in prisonsor forensic commitment institutions may be at special risk to unconsciously maintain a culturalbias and take part in rejecting the patient’s search for acceptance, thereby confirming their ownmental health and sexual integrity.Legal and Psychosocial Risk Factors of Forensic Psychiatric PatientsWithdrawn from Conditional ReleaseThomas Ross, University of Ulm, Germany (thomas.ross@uni-ulm.de)Klaus Hoffmann, Reichenau Forensic Psychiatric Centre, Germany (Thomas.ross@uni-ulm.de)Background: There are small but considerable numbers of forensic psychiatric patients who donot manage to comply with the legal requirements of conditional release from forensicpsychiatric hospitals. These patients are usually referred back to inpatient treatment, with little314