New Zealand's first specialist prison treatment programme for child sex offenders, Kia Marama, has been proven to reduce reoffending - but only for those who wanted to be part of the programme.
"If someone puts their hands up we can help them," principal psychologist Bronwyn Rutherford said.
"But it is that old saying `You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink'."
The Kia Marama special treatment unit had been based at Rolleston Prison since 1989, with the reconviction rate for participants about 5%, compared with 22% who did not partake in the programme.
Of the estimated 100 convicted child abusers who were released back into the community each year, about 80 had taken part in the programme, she said.
The majority of those who did not take part in the nine month programme were serving shorter sentences, with only a small number of offenders refusing to be part of the rehabilitation programme.
Ms Rutherford said while she was unable to comment on Graeme Purvis' refusal to be part of the programme, "he won't just be left, he will be seen for treatment".
Often, the men who refused treatment were in denial about their offending and believed it was society, not them, that was wrong, she said.
