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Located in Westmead, NSW, and established in 1989 under the Pre-Trial Diversion of Offenders Act 1985, the NSW Pre-Trial Diversion of Offenders Program (Cedar Cottage) [Link] is designed for adults who have committed intrafamilial child sexual abuse, where the offender is in a parental or de facto parental role (e.g., step parent). The duration of the programme is two-three years.

Pre-trial diversion refers to the fact that offenders are diverted from the traditional criminal justice process to the treatment program before conviction after charges have been filed. A conviction is recorded once the applicant is admitted to the program following a clinical assessment eight weeks in duration.

Participants sign a treatment agreement, certifying that he/she will adhere to conditions established by Cedar Cottage (e.g., move-out of the residence where his/her children live, avoid contact with his/her family without the permission of the Director of the program, reside only at places where there are no children under 16 years of age, attend all scheduled therapy sessions).

Applicant who are not accepted or who withdraw from the program or breach treatment conditions are returned to the court for sentencing. This evaluation was commissioned by the Sydney West Area Health Service (SWAHS). Assessment of effectiveness yields insight into whether the treatment reduces sexual offending. The evaluation design is quasi-experimental.

The sample consisted of 215 men referred to the program prior to 2004, divided into four treatment groups (applicants who were declined treatment; participants who successfully completed treatment; participants who voluntarily withdrew; and participants who breached.

The evaluation is in progress. A final report will be released in 2008.

People involved in this project:

Dale Tolliday, Programs Director, Pre-Trial diversion Program & New Street Adolescent Service

Jane Goodman-Delahunty, University of New South Wales, School of Psychology

Jessica Pratley, University of New South Wales, School of Psychology