Nonsexual Offenders Research Articles

Predicting sexual re-offending in a UK sample of adolescents with intellectual disabilities

The current study aimed to address the paucity of research and assessment tools for adolescent males with intellectual disabilities who have sexually harmed, by comparing the predictive accuracy of the AIM2 assessment, developed with populations without intellectual disabilities, and the adapted AIM assessment, designed for this group. The sample consisted of re-offenders (sexual, n = 9; non-sexual, n = 19) and those with no further offence (n = 18). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis found that with revisions to scoring systems, both assessments could predict adolescent sexual re-offenders with significant greater accuracy than chance (area under the curve = 0.78); as well, they predicted sexual re-offending significantly better than subsequent non-sexual offending. The current study indicated that adolescents with intellectual disabilities do not require distinct risk assessment tools. Comparisons between the results from this study and findings relating to other established assessments were encouraging for the adolescent AIM assessments. Implications for practice, limitations of the current study and recommendations for future research are discussed.

A comparative longitudinal analysis of recidivism trajectories and collateral consequences for sex and non-sex offenders released since the implementation of sex offender registration and community notification

The current study examines whether the recidivism trajectories post-prison release for post-sex offender registration and community notification (SORN) sex offenders are similar to or different from the recidivism trajectories post-prison release for post-SORN non-sex offenders who are released from prison via parole. Furthermore, this study also focuses on whether or not a series of collateral consequences are experienced similarly or differently among these post-SORN sex and post-SORN non-sex offender parolees. Using random samples of 247 post-SORN sex offenders and 250 post-SORN non-sex offenders released from prison in New Jersey via parole, the results indicate that sex offender and non-sex offender trajectories are similar with the exception being that there is a higher prevalence of non-sex offenders who exhibit a high-risk trajectory. Additional results demonstrate that, although sex offenders and non-sex offenders share the experience of collateral consequences, several collateral consequences including not living with friends, living in group facilities, and residential relocation appear to differentially impact sex offenders post-prison release. Study limitations and policy implications are also discussed.

Can We Distinguish Juvenile Violent Sex Offenders, Violent Non-sex Offenders, and Versatile Violent Sex Offenders Based on Childhood Risk Factors?

Understanding the developmental precursors of juvenile violent sex offending can contribute to the promotion of effective early intervention and prevention programs for high-risk children and youth. However, there is currently a lack of research on the early characteristics of adolescents who commit violent sex offenses. Drawing on the literature regarding the generalist and specialist positions of criminal behavior, the aim of the present study was to compare childhood risk factors for three groups of juvenile offenders: (a) pure sex offenders (PSO; n = 28); (b) violent non-sex offenders (VNSO; n = 172); and (c) versatile violent sex offenders (VVSO; n = 24). Nineteen risk factors comprising four life domains (individual, family, peer, and school) were identified from a file review. Three hierarchical logistic regression analyses examined associations between risk factors and offender groups. The results reflected the underlying heterogeneity of the sample, offering support for both the specialist and generalist positions of criminal behavior. PSOs differed from VNSOs on the basis of higher odds for precocious sexual behavior. Second, VVSOs differed from VNSOs on the basis of higher odds for precocious sexual behavior, criminal family members, and an adolescent mother, as well as lower odds for poor school behavior. Third, PSOs were marginally more likely to have engaged in early overt antisocial behavior compared with VVSOs. Fourth, many of the childhood risk factors examined were not associated with any offender group. In conclusion, VVSOs appeared to differ on the greatest number of risk factors from VNSOs, suggesting that VVSOs share a more similar developmental pathway with PSOs. The prevention and future research implications of these findings are discussed.

Non-sex offenders display distorted thinking and have empathy deficits too: A thematic analysis of cognitions and the application of empathy

It is generally assumed that empathy acts to disinhibit behaviour that could be perceived as detrimental to others, and as a result is a common feature of offender treatment programmes. The present research hypothesised that empathy in all populations is both a situational and a selective process that is ultimately governed by self-interest, and further, that it is the nature of the self-interest that distinguishes individuals rather than a general empathy deficit per se. Empathic processes were observed in a non-offending population in a personal situation normally regarded as evocative of empathy: infidelity. Thematic analysis of data from individuals who reported being faithful or unfaithful to their partners revealed five dominant themes: vulnerable predisposition, emotional motivators, rational emotive decision making, avoiding cognitive dissonance and lack of remorse. The themes all revealed how individuals employed cognitive strategies, which were managed by self-interest that functioned to create cognitive states devoid of empathy.

Response to Sharer Letter

Full text available. Keywords: Dr. Sharer, R. Gregg Dwyer, Jeanette M. Jerrell, criminal justice system, residential facilities, cohort, Seto, &, Lalumière, non-sex offenders, sex offenses, discrepancy

Adolescents Who Have Sexually Offended

It is unclear whether deviant sexual preferences distinguish adolescents who commit sex offenses in the same way that such deviance characterizes adult sex offenders. We compared male adolescents (mean age = 15 at the time of a referral sex offense), matched adult sex offenders, and normal men (adult nonoffenders or nonsex offenders). We hypothesized the following: phallometric responses of the adolescents would be similar to those of adult sex offenders and would differ from normals; adolescents with male child victims would exhibit greater evidence of sexual deviance than those whose only victims were female children; among adolescents who had molested children, those with a history of sexual abuse would exhibit more evidence of sexual deviance than those with no such history; and phallometric measures would predict recidivism. With some notable exceptions or qualifications, results confirmed the hypotheses. Phallometry has valid clinical and research uses with adolescent males who commit serious sex offenses.

Executive Dysfunctions in Pedophilic and Nonpedophilic Child Molesters

There is some evidence that child molesters show neuropsychological abnormalities which might reflect specific structural and/or functional brain alterations, but there are also inconsistencies in the existing findings which need to be clarified. Most of the different outcomes can either be explained by the fact that different types of child molesters were examined or by not having accounted for basically confounding factors such as age, education/intelligence, or criminality. The present study therefore sought to determine whether pedophilic and nonpedophilic child molesters, compared to relevant control groups, show different profiles of executive dysfunction when accounting for potentially confounding factors. The performance of 30 child molesters (15 pedophilic and 15 nonpedophilic) and 33 age- and education-matched controls (16 nonsexual offenders and 17 healthy controls) was assessed regarding several neuropsychological functions. Scores on different neurocognitive tests and semistructured diagnostical interviews. Results indicate that pedophilic child molesters exhibited less performance deficits in cognitive functioning than nonpedophilic child molesters. Compared to healthy controls and nonsexual offenders, the pedophilic child molesters only showed executive dysfunction concerning response inhibition, whereas the nonpedophilic child molesters revealed more severe dysfunction, especially on tasks associated with cognitive flexibility and verbal memory. These results enhance our knowledge about executive dysfunction associated with criminality and/or pedophilia, as they suggest different profiles of impairment between groups. In summary, data suggest that nonpedophilic child molesters showed more severe cognitive deficits than pedophilic child molesters. However, as response inhibition is associated with prefrontal (i.e., orbitofrontal) functioning, the deficits observed in both child molester groups indicate dysfunction in the orbitofrontal cortex. This has to be further examined with functional imaging approaches in larger samples and a full-factorial approach which allows for a clear distinction between criminality and pedophilia in a factorial manner.

Recidivism among treated sexual offenders and comparison subjects: Recent outcome data from the Regional Treatment Centre (Ontario) high-intensity Sex Offender Treatment Programme

The present investigation examined a sample of 64 offenders treated at the Regional Treatment Centre (Ontario) Sex Offender Treatment Programme (RTCSOTP) and a sample of 55 untreated sexual offenders from the Ontario region of Correctional Service of Canada. Groups were matched on age at index offence, Hare Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (PCL-R) score and type of sexual offender (i.e. intrafamilial child molester, extrafamilial child molester and rapist). As well, the Rapid Risk Assessment of Sexual Offence Recidivism Scale (RRASOR) was scored on all offenders in the present investigation. Recidivism, based upon officially recorded conviction data, was used as the primary dependent measure. Results indicated that both treated offenders and comparison participants evidenced low sexual recidivism rates (approximately 10% over follow-up periods that extended beyond nine years for both treated and comparison offenders). With reference to high PCL-R treated and comparison offenders, both groups evidenced rates of sexual recidivism approaching zero (one offender in each group recidivated sexually). These data have important implications for those who view treatment with high PCL-R offenders as without hope for success. Both treated and untreated comparison offenders received a wide variety of non-sexual offender programmes directed at criminogenic need areas. Treated offenders who were rated as being higher risk on the RRASOR evidenced substantially lower than predicted rates of sexual offending.

Are Internet offenders emotionally avoidant?

Internet child sexual offending through the use of images of child sexual abuse is a prevalent problem. Defining the characteristics of this group has become a research focus, with emotional avoidance having been investigated as one potential precipitating psychological feature. There are grounds, therefore, for investigating emotional avoidance in this group. This study investigated emotional avoidance in Internet child sexual offenders. Four groups of men recruited from the community were compared: Internet child sexual offenders; contact child sexual offenders; non-sexual offenders; and non-offenders. Self-report assessments of emotional avoidance; and measures of potential confounds (e.g. psychological distress and socioeconomic status) were used. Analyses showed that non-sexual offenders were most emotionally avoidant. Several covariates correlated with the dependent variables. Mostly not reaching statistical significance, the findings did not support current views that Internet child sexual offenders have particular difficulties with emotional avoidance. This has implications for clinical work based on such assumptions.

Punishment and Rehabilitation Attitudes toward Sex Offenders Versus Nonsexual Offenders

Punishment (PUN) and rehabilitation (REH) attitudes toward sex offenders/offenses (SO) and nonsexual offenders/offenses (NSO) were compared in a sample of 355 undergraduates, in response to brief vignettes depicting a sexual and nonsexual offense, conceptually matched for seriousness and severity. Participants assigned higher PUN scores to individuals who committed sexual offenses, whether the offenders were children, adolescents, or adults. REH attitudes showed the reverse pattern—sexual offenders were assigned lower REH scores than nonsexual offenders—with the exception of child offenders, for whom REH attitudes did not differ between sexual and nonsexual offenses. PUN attitudes increased monotonically with offender age, regardless of offender type. Offender age had the opposite effect on participants' REH attitudes for nonsexual offenders, and there was no effect of offender age on REH ratings for sex offenders. Results are discussed in the context of sexual abuse as a potential “moral panic” and recent populist trends in punitiveness toward criminals.

Self-reported impulsivity in male offenders with low cognitive ability in New South Wales prisons

The study of impulsivity in offenders with low cognitive ability has received relatively little empirical investigation. A sample of 108 male offenders with IQ scores below 75 points answered an adaptation of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale version 11 (BIS-11). The adapted version had high reliability, and results showed the instrument is useful in discriminating sex offenders from both violent offenders, and non-sex offenders with low cognitive ability. Sex offenders with low cognitive ability achieve better planning scores, while other offenders with low cognitive ability show increased impulsiveness in terms of scores indicating quicker decision making, and a reduced amount of concern for the consequences of their actions. The study highlights the stability of impulsivity according to historical offences. Overall results indicate that the combination of acting without thinking, and lack of concern for consequences, differentiates offenders with low cognitive ability from many other offenders. Neither age nor IQ scores are significantly related to impulsivity in this group.

Executive Function Profiles of Pedophilic and Nonpedophilic Child Molesters

There is increasing evidence of neurocognitive dysfunction among child molesters, supporting the notion of brain anomalies among pedophiles. However, approximately half of child molesters are not pedophilic (i.e., are not primarily attracted to children), and neurocognitive differences between pedophilic (PED) and nonpedophilic (NPED) child molesters are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to assess neurocognition, specifically executive functioning (EF), among phallometrically defined PED and NPED child molesters, relative to nonsexual offenders (NSO). Participants (N = 89) were compared on seven EF domains. Results revealed that (a) child molesters exhibited an overall executive profile that was different from that of NSOs, with PEDs differing from NSOs but not from NPEDs; (b) child molesters on the whole performed better than NSOs on abstract reasoning and more poorly on inhibition; and (c) PEDs performed better than NPEDs on planning and exhibited better overall performance accuracy relative to NPEDs. These results suggest that PEDs exhibit a more deliberate, planful response style characterized by greater self-monitoring; whereas NPEDs appear to respond more impulsively. The current report further elucidates neurocognition among child molesters and highlights the need for future research examining subtypes of child molesters.

Exploring differences in youth and parent reports of antisociality among adolescent sexual and nonsexual offenders.

This study examined the extent of, and explored several possible explanations for, the discrepancies found between adolescent and parent reports of conduct problems in adolescent sexual and nonsexual offenders. We found that adolescent sexual offenders scored lower on measures of conduct problems than did nonsexual offenders, whether on the basis of adolescent or parent report, though the difference was much larger for parent reports. Examining this discrepancy more closely, we found that parents of sexual offenders reported less antisocial behavior than did their sons, whereas parents of nonsexual offenders reported more antisocial behavior than did their sons. The same pattern of results was obtained for reports on impulsivity, but much less so with respect to antisocial personality traits such as narcissism and callousness. Measures of family functioning were generally not related to these parent-adolescent discrepancies in reports of conduct problems, but these discrepancies were positively correlated with parental reports of stress. The implications of these findings for the interpretation of research on adolescent sexual offenders and comparisons of sexual and nonsexual offenders are discussed.

Prevalence of mental disorders among sexual offenders and non-sexual offenders

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of mental disorders in convicted sex offenders admitted to the Psychiatric Custody and Treatment Hospital (Forensic Psychiatric Facility). METHOD: 89 patient records of males admitted from March 2005 to August 2006 were analyzed. The analysis included evaluation of two study groups: Group I comprised subjects who had committed sex offenses (sexual offenders) while Group II contained subjects convicted for other crimes (non-sexual offenders). Variables studied were: age bracket, years of schooling, marital status, skin color, place of birth, previous psychiatric admissions and psychiatric diagnosis. RESULTS: Mental retardation and personality disorders were the mainly diagnoses in Group I (sexual offenders) (61,76% and 29,41% respectively). In the other hand, schizophrenic subjects predominated in Group II (non-sexual offenders) (82,93%). CONCLUSION: Different from international data, we have found low prevalence of personality disorders among Brazilian forensic population and we believe that it's due to a distinguishing characteristic of the Brazilian legal system, which does not consider personality disorder a mental disease, thus, not prompting these patients to civil commitment.

A critical review of objective personality inventories with sex offenders

This review provides a critical analysis of the ability of multiscale inventories to distinguish between sex offender and nonoffender control groups, as well as to discriminate sex offenders from other types of offenders. In addition to expanding upon previous reviews that examined the utility of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) with this population (e.g., Levin & Stava, 1987), the current review included studies that utilized other multiscale inventories commonly used in forensic practice (i.e., MMPI-2, Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III [MCMI-III], Personality Assessment Inventory) and, when possible, provides effect sizes to evaluate group differences. Based on the review, the various forms of the MMPI and MCMI are clearly the most widely used instruments in sex offender populations. The MMPI Pd scale has shown moderate to large effect sizes when distinguishing between sex offender and nonsex offender groups, but this relationship may be reflective of antisocial behavior in general rather than traits specific to sex offenders. Recommendations to standardize future research classification strategies and more effectively utilize these instruments when assessing sex offenders are also provided.

Adolescents auteurs d’agressions sexuelles : aspects étiologiques, diagnostiques et pronostiques

The study compares a group of adolescents sex offenders ( n = 36) to a group of adolescents non-sex offenders ( n = 20). The adolescent sex offenders have more frequently experienced the loss of their father. They presented more submissive, conformism, and sexual inhibition characteristics. However, they did not report more depressive, opposition, conduct disorders nor dependence symptoms. The results are discussed in light of the international literature on adolescent sex offenders.

What is so special about male adolescent sexual offending? A review and test of explanations through meta-analysis.

We tested special and general explanations of male adolescent sexual offending by conducting a meta-analysis of 59 independent studies comparing male adolescent sex offenders (n = 3,855) with male adolescent non-sex offenders (n = 13,393) on theoretically derived variables reflecting general delinquency risk factors (antisocial tendencies), childhood abuse, exposure to violence, family problems, interpersonal problems, sexuality, psychopathology, and cognitive abilities. The results did not support the notion that adolescent sexual offending can be parsimoniously explained as a simple manifestation of general antisocial tendencies. Adolescent sex offenders had much less extensive criminal histories, fewer antisocial peers, and fewer substance use problems compared with non-sex offenders. Special explanations suggesting a role for sexual abuse history, exposure to sexual violence, other abuse or neglect, social isolation, early exposure to sex or pornography, atypical sexual interests, anxiety, and low self-esteem received support. Explanations focusing on attitudes and beliefs about women or sexual offending, family communication problems or poor parent-child attachment, exposure to nonsexual violence, social incompetence, conventional sexual experience, and low intelligence were not supported. Ranked by effect size, the largest group difference was obtained for atypical sexual interests, followed by sexual abuse history, and, in turn, criminal history, antisocial associations, and substance abuse. We discuss the implications of the findings for theory development, as well as for the assessment, treatment, and prevention of adolescent sexual offending.

Assessing Criminal Thinking in Male Sex Offenders With the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles

A sample of 543 male inmates undergoing sex offender treatment completed the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS). As predicted, the PICTS General Criminal Thinking (GCT), Proactive (P), and Reactive (R) scores correlated with sexual risk as measured by the total score on the Static-99. However, only the GCT and P scores correlated with sentence length, and none of the PICTS scores successfully discriminated between a current offense of child molestation and a current offense of adult rape/sexual assault. A confirmatory factor analysis verified previous factor analyses of the PICTS conducted on nonsex offenders whereby the PICTS thinking style scales displayed significantly better fit with a two-factor (proactive, reactive) than with a one-factor (general criminal thinking) model. These results lend preliminary support to the notion that criminal thinking in general and proactive/instrumental criminal thinking in particular have something to offer sex offender assessment.

Assessment of Pedophilic Sexual Interest with an Attentional Choice Reaction Time Task

Choice-reaction time (CRT) is an experimental information-processing paradigm. Based on an interference effect in visual attention, the CRT method has been shown to be suitable for measuring sexual orientation in men and women. The present study assessed the potential of the CRT to identify deviant (i.e., pedophilic) sexual interest. Participants were patients from forensic-psychiatric hospitals: 21 child molesters and 21 non-sex offenders. The dependent variable was reaction time in an ostensible seek-and-locate task (i.e., identifying the position of a dot superimposed on a picture of a person). There was an interaction effect between stimulus age category and participant group status: Child molesters took longer to respond to pictures of children relative to pictures of adults. Non-sex offenders showed an opposite pattern (i.e., longer reaction times with pictures of adults than with pictures of children). In addition, the data supported the notion of sexual content induced delay: Subjects took longer for the task with nude stimuli than with clothed ones. A subtractive preference index, derived from the reaction times for child and adult stimulus material, allowed distinguishing participants from both groups almost perfectly (ROC-AUC = .998). We conclude that a match of sexual interest with properties of visual stimuli led to a cognitive interference effect: Attentional resources were drawn from the ostensible task of locating the dot towards exploring the picture. This opens up the possibility of using this interference effect (i.e., the delay of response times) for diagnostic purposes.

A Review of the Use of Therapeutic Communities With Sexual Offenders

Sexual offender treatment programmes are often facilitated in secure settings such as prisons or psychiatric hospitals, which are not ideal environments for such treatment. Arguably, however, when these environments are structured as therapeutic communities (TCs), opportunities are created to enhance the effectiveness of treatment. This article describes the concept of a TC, its operating principles and rationale, as well as the benefits and rationale for establishing TCs in conjunction with cognitive-behavioural treatment with sexual offenders. This is discussed in terms of the potential of TCs to improve targeting of treatment content, to enhance treatment process, to provide optimal environments for therapeutic gain, and to provide a broad therapeutic framework for treating sexual offenders. The article reviews and summarizes what evidence exists for the use of TCs with both non-sexual offenders and sexual offenders. Finally, it highlights the gaps in our knowledge of the use of TCs to inspire further empirical and conceptual consideration of these issues.