Vignette #1

The client is a 16-year-old male who has committed a felony sexual offense. He was born in Iraq, and moved to the US at the age of 13. He lived in an area near a warzone and has been injured from bombs exploding around his place of residence (when in Iraq). His family fled Iraq to come to the US to escape the war. The client displays behaviors suggesting he has PTSD due to his childhood. He is still not fully acculturated to the American culture, and his parents do not speak much English. They live in a lower middle-class neighborhood. He served 6 months in Fresno’s Juvenile Justice Campus and was released on probation. He has all standard conditions of probation and the following specific conditions: complete a yearlong sex offender treatment program, attend family therapy.

The client was arrested for the index offense after he was caught behind the high school he attended with a female of the same age. She reported he forcefully touched her inappropriately. However, he stated it was her idea to go behind the school, and that everything was consensual. Per his religious beliefs, he must remain a virgin until marriage, and is not supposed to be engaged in any sexual activity with another person.

The offender has been attending the sex offender treatment groups, but has not been completing required levels and his therapist has submitted a monthly probation report to the probation officer with some concerning information: The client is often angry in group and comes to group with stories of getting into physical fights at school (which was confirmed by his school counselor when the therapist contacted them), the client reported having several friends who were affiliated with the Bulldog gang, however, he denies affiliation himself. The client has a girlfriend who is 16-years-old, and has a 2-year-old child with a current gang member. This gang member is not happy the client is dating his ex, and has made many threats toward the client. The client does not get along with his father, who may be physically abusing him (there is some evidence, and the therapist has reported it to CPS for further investigation). The client has reported having run away from home on several occasions due to issues with his father.