Psychotherapist-Patient Privilege for Private Sex Offender Treatment?

On February 20th, 2008, the Court of Appeal of the state of California, Second Appellate District, published an opinion in the nature of the psychotherapist-patient privilege for convicted sex offenders undergoing voluntary psychotherapy.

The question the court faced was this: if a convicted sex offender (SO) is required to undergo psychotherapy as a part of his/her parole, and the SO sees a private psychotherapist in addition to the treatment mandated under the terms of his/her parole, does the State of California have the power to compel the parolee to waive his/her right to confidentiality?

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