Aggressive Offenders Research Articles

Brain Density and Symmetry in Pedophilic and Sexually Aggressive Offenders

Brain area and optical density were computed for each hemisphere and for 4 sections within the hemispheres at the level of the temporal horns for 18 pedophiles, 12 incest offenders, 34 sexually aggressive offenders of adult females and 12 nonviolent nonsex offender controls. Brain length and width was also computed, using the pineal gland as reference. From the width measures, an index of brain symmetry was computed. Results showed that the brains of sex offenders were relatively smaller in the left hemisphere compared to controls, but there were no significant group differences in optical density. There were no subgroup differences in brain area but the segments corresponding to the left frontal and temporal areas were smaller in sex offenders than controls. There were no significant differences in brain length but sex offenders had smaller widths in both hemispheres than controls. Analysis of symmetry showed that 66.7% of pedophiles and 53.1% of sexual aggressives had asymmetric brains compared to 8.3% of incest offenders and 20.0% of controls. Pedophiles showed smaller left hemispheres than right whereas sexual aggressives were equally split between left and right asymmetry. These results support earlier findings of temporal horn dilatation in pedophiles and sexual aggressives.

Measuring the Effectiveness of Treatment for the Aggressive Adolescent Sexual Offender

Measuring the Effectiveness of Treatment for the Aggressive Adolescent Sexual Offender

Psychiatric expert testimony on aggressive offenders in juvenile court proceedings

The empirical study presented concerns juvenile court cases (aggressive offences) in West Berlin during which the offenders (N = 94) were subject to psychiatric expert testimony (1975–1982). The conditional factors determining forensic-psychiatric testimony are examined and the investigation shows, with the aid of discriminant analysis, that differences in the form of the expertise given are best explained by the variable ‘convention-orientation’. Ratings on the quality of psychiatric letters (N = 49) were based on the semantic differential technique. Employing factor analysis, three independent aspects determining the quality of expert opinion are revealed, namely the factors ‘cogency of message’, role-conception', and ‘recipient-orientation’.

Childhood Sexual Abuse in the Lives of Sexually Aggressive Offenders

This study examined the incidence of childhood physical and sexual abuse in a sample of incarcerated rapists ( N=97) and child molesters ( N=54). The four major findings were: (a) the incidence of sexual assault in childhood among child molesters was higher than the incidence of such abuse reported in the literature; (b) the incidence of sexual assault in childhood among child molesters was more than twice as high as the incidence among rapists; (c) rapists were three times more likely to be victimized by a family member than were child molesters; and (d) when a sexual assault did occur, it was associated with many other indices of familial turmoil and instability.

THE SEXUAL ATTITUDES OF AGGRESSIVE SEXUAL OFFENDERS

Several authors have pointed out the high frequency sexual problems in populations aggressive offenders, particularly in populations of mentally abnormal aggressive offenders (e.g. McGrath, 1974). Within such popula tions are found offenders whose aggressive offence is explicitly sexual (e.g. rape, indecent assault) and others whose offence has no obvious sexual component (e.g. homicide). Several studies have attempted to assess whether differences in sexual attitudes and adjustment exist between sexual and non sexual offenders (e.g. Gebhard et al., 1965), but few studies have used stan dardised tests. In the United States, Gowden and Pacht (1969) and Haupt and Allen (1966) found differences in sexual attitudes between sex offenders and non-sex offenders and also between sex offenders considered to be deviated and those not deviated. Gowden and Morse (1970) attempted to assess the effect defensive responding on measures sexual attitudes in a sample sex offenders. The purpose the current study was to compare the sexual attitudes samples sexual and non-sexual offenders, and to investigate personality, intellectual and social background correlates sexual attitudes in the Special Hospitals population. Method Subjects Both subject groups were recruited from the population an English Special Hospital providing treatment facilities for mentally abnormal offenders deemed to be dangerous, violent or criminal propensities . The sex offender group consisted 34 males admitted to the hospital for an explicitly sexual offence. The offences were predominantly those rape, attempted rape and indecent assault. Most the offences involved some degree personal violence. The non-sex offender group consisted 23 males admitted to the hospital for non-sexual offences. The offences this group were predominantly aggressive, and included wounding with intent, GBH and ABH, arson and murder. The sex offenders had a means full-scale IQ. (WAIS) 101 (S.D. 11-67), a mean age 28-8 (S.D. io-i) and a mean social-class rating 3-97 (S.D. 0-97). The corresponding scores for the non-sex offender group were IQ, 101-7 (S.D. 11-2), age 28-4 (S.D. 7-8) and social class 3-81 (S.D. 1 -33). The social class estimate was based on the Registrar General's system and was derived from the last job held. * Ph.D. Formerly senior clinical psychologist (research), Broadmoor Hospital; now at Dept. Psychology, University Leicester. f B.Sc. Assistant psychologist, Broadmoor Hospital. Thanks are due to Mrs. E. Parker for the social class information, which was obtained from the Special Hospitals Research Unit Case Register; to D. A. Black for advice concerning the personality tests; and to T. Cook for computational assistance. The first author was supported by an award from the Small Grants Fund the DHSS during the period in which the project was completed.

Outpatient treatment of the aggressive offender.

The treatment of aggression in an outpatient setting has not been tried often mainly because of the nature and intensity of the countertransference reactions. However, with some modification of traditional treatment practices plus a careful monitoring of the countertransference successful treatment is possible without great danger to the therapist.

Aggression and the EEG: A quantitative analysis.

80 male offenders (mean age 33.93 yrs) at a psychiatric security hospital completed scales of aggression and hostility and were rated on previous history of assaulative behavior. Two psychiatrists agreed that 45 Ss had personality disorders and 35 were psychotic. Low frequency analysis was employed to obtain measures of EEG abundance at rest, during repetitive auditory stimulation, and during the cold pressor test. Neither within the sample as a whole nor within personality disorders alone was any relation found between resting abundance and aggression. More aggressive Ss tended to have a higher dominant frequency at rest, less increase in theta during monotonous stimulation, and greater alpha reactivity to cold pressor stimulation. Results are not in accord with the view that a high prevalence of theta activity characterizes aggressive offenders. The evidence of greater cortical excitability in aggressive patients suggests that persistent aggression is associated with a dominance of the ergotropic system. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)