You were also correct in stating that couple’s counseling is not permitted while in DV offender treatment. As stated in 5.10 of the standards: “The offender is the client in offender treatment, not the couple and not the relationship….Because of the potential therapuetic challenges of concurrent treatment along with dangers and risk to victim safety, this standard further clarifies that offenders will not participate in marriage or couple’s counseling of any kind with anyone with the victim outside of offender treatment.” Research shows that the incidence of offender violence against the victim INCREASES with couple’s counseling before offender treatment is completed.

You refer to providers having an unobjective monetary stake in offender treatment because of the “open ended” treatment plans if a client remains in “denial” of his or her offense. As a provider, I do not and cannot force a client to accept accountability/responsibility for every aspect of their charged offense. I do however, expect a client to be aware of what they could have done differently in any given situation and to be able to verbalize that in a group setting. There are of course those clients that have a long history of violence that no matter what treatment they go through, they will continue to justify their own violent behavior…those folks are simply not amenable to treatment. The justice system must handle those folks.

What you do not mention is that many clients will be able to work through the competencies at their own pace. If they put actual work into the treatment program and process, he or she could possibly successfully complete the program in a shorter period of time than the original 36 week previously mandated sentence.

To imply that providers will try to get every penny they can out of offenders is well, offensive. I didn’t go into this profession for the money. If I wanted to make a lot of money, I would have gone to law school. I’m willing to bet that your retainer alone could pay for DV classes and much, much more.