(200) Demographic, Clinical, and Socioeconomic Variables and Risk Assessment Perpetrators of Sexual Crimes in Poland

Abstract

Abstract Introduction The study of sexual recidivism has been attracting the attention of the mental health services and criminal justice system, as well as researchers. A significant problem for clinical judicial experts when issuing court opinions is assessing the risk of recidivism. Objective The aim of the study was to assess the demographic, clinical and socioeconomic variables of adult male sex offenders convicted of sexual crimes in Poland, as well as assessing their risk of recidivism. Methods The participants of the study consisted of 30 sexual offenders (66% preferential and 34% non-preferential) serving prison sentences in a dozen Polish prisons. A retrospective file review was completed for 30 medical and medicolegal files. Medical records included documentation such as psychiatric notes, psychological assessments, medicolegal assessments, and medical consultation notes. The analysis took variables including age, sex, marital status, and education. The risk of recidivism was estimated based on the participants’ files, using semi-structured interviews, and calculated using the Sex Offender Treatment Intervention and Progress Scale (SOTIPS) (McGrath, et al., 2013). Results Data analysis was done with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Participants of this study were mostly single (67%) males (100%), with an average age of 43 years (range = 24–63 years). Only 3% had completed higher education. Table 1 for a summary of the study results. Clinically, more than half of the sex offenders had a personality disorder (67%) diagnosis, with 66% of the sample diagnosed with sexual preference disorders. The Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationships between sexual preference disorders and age (r = 0,36; p < 0,05). The correlation also analysis showed that marital status was positively related to age (r = 0,34; p < 0,05). SOTIPS score was positively correlated with sexual preference disorders (r = 0,30; p < 0,05). A positive correlation, although very weak, was found between the score on the SOTIPS scale and age (r = 0,22; p < 0,05). Conclusions The results of the study showed that, sexual offenders are heterogeneous in terms of age. Most sex offenders (67%) have never been married before. The study also found a high proportion (64%) of sex offenders who reoffend. The larger proportion of sex offenders has sexual preference disorders. Therefore, one can conclude that sex offenders should be subject to preferential offender therapy. Disclosure No.