Advancing our understanding of sexual assault offenders

Abstract

The testing of over 130,000 (and counting) previously untested sexual assault kits (SAKs) from across the United States as part of the SAK initiative is advancing our understanding of sexual assault offenders. Data on untested kits from this initiative provide an unprecedented opportunity to study these types of offenders and their behaviors more thoroughly and comprehensively. This chapter details eight key ways that recent advancements in research and forensics are changing how the criminal justice system views sexual assault offenders and responds to sexual assault. This includes finding: (a) higher rates of sexual reoffending than expected; (b) less consistency in sexual assault offending behaviors and greater diversity in victim preference than expected; (c) increased criminal versatility and criminogenic behavior in sexual assault offenders than expected; (d) large numbers of individuals who should have their DNA in CODIS but do not (i.e., lawfully “owe” DNA); (e) forensic evidence not being fully leveraged; (f) beyond DNA, corroborating evidence contained in the kits not being fully leveraged; (g) in certain circumstances, forensic genetic genealogy (FGG) being a vital tool for helping identify offenders; and (h) operationally, forensic evidence being useful in interviews with suspects. This chapter also provides case study examples of sexual assault offenders identified as part of the SAK initiative and implications for practice. The authors have combined their expertise in applied criminology, forensic science, behavioral analysis, criminal profiling, and sexual assault prosecutions to provide specific recommendations for investigations and prosecutions of sexual assault offenders and bridge the knowledge gap between research, forensics, and operational practices.