[Drug-therapy with sexual offenders].

Sexual offenders are a heterogeneous group of offenders with different personality structures and different patterns of crime. As a consequence, difficulties arise with the definition of sexually deviant or offending behaviour, which depends on period of time and culture. After presenting the actual definition of sexual offences, their frequency is shown by means of German epidemiological data. The problem of the assumed relationship between paraphilia and sexual offending behaviour is called into question. After the description of the central neurobiological and endocrinological mechanisms, the established pharmacological treatment strategies (Selective Serotonine Reuptake Inhibitors, Antiadrogenes, LHRH (Luteotropic Hormone Releasing Hormone)-Agonists) are presented. Finally, the step-wise algorithm for the therapy of sexual according to Bradford is presented.