Reoffending among child sexual offenders

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Dowling ◽  
Anthony Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Sexual Offenders ◽  
Sexual Offence ◽  
Sexual Offences ◽  
Indigenous Status ◽  
Child Sexual Assault ◽  
Male Offenders ◽  
South Wales ◽  
History Of ◽  
Child Sexual Offenders

This study examines reoffending among 1,092 male offenders proceeded against for a child sexual offence in New South Wales between 2004 and 2013, including 863 child sexual assault offenders, 196 child abuse material offenders and 33 procurement/ grooming offenders. Seven percent of child sexual offenders sexually reoffended within 10 years of their first police proceeding for a child sexual offence, while 42 percent non-sexually reoffended. Risk of sexual and non-sexual reoffending was highest in the first two years. Child sexual assault offenders were the most likely to reoffend non-sexually, while procurement/grooming offenders were the most likely to reoffend sexually. There was evidence of transition to other sexual offence types, but this varied between groups. Indigenous status, history of offending and the number of child sexual offences emerged as important predictors of reoffending, although risk profiles varied between offender types.

scholarly journals Characteristics and associated factors of self-disclosed sexual aggression in a national representative sample of Belgian adults aged 16-69

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evelyn Schapansky ◽  
Ines Keygnaert ◽  
Christophe Vandeviver
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Offenders ◽  
Representative Sample ◽  
Sexual Aggression ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Sexual Offences ◽  
Sexually Aggressive ◽  
Hands On ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Given ◽  
National Representative Sample

Sexual violence is a major public health, societal, and judicial problem worldwide. Studies investigating the characteristics of its offenders often rely on samples of convicted offenders, which are then biased by low reporting and conviction rates of sexual offences. The reliability of self-report studies of undetected sexual offenders, however, is threatened by underreporting of sexually aggressive acts. Despite these limitations, we argue that it is important to publish available data on self-disclosed sexual aggression to learn more about those who are more likely to report own sexual aggression and to further improve self-report methods. Based on a self-report study conducted in a representative sample (n = 4,693) of the Belgian general population aged 16 to 69, we provide lifetime and past-year prevalence rates of sexual aggression and report the characteristics of the events, including type, target, and the applied coercion strategies. A logistic regression analysis revealed factors associated with self-disclosed sexual aggression. Almost 4% of all participants reported at least one incident of hands-on sexual aggression. Men were more likely than women to report sexual aggression (aOR: 5.33 (95% CI:3.62-7.86). Furthermore, a history of sexual victimization was associated with sexual aggression. In most cases, the target was an (ex)partner or friend. About 4 in 5 perpetrators indicated that none of the given coercion strategies (i.e., force, threat, verbal pressure, or exploiting the victim’s incapacitation or the own position of authority) applied to the incident. Further research is needed to clarify under which circumstances sexual aggression occurs and which factors increase reporting thereof.

scholarly journals Victim Age Polymorphism In Stranger Serial Sexual Offences

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Skye Stephens
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Offenders ◽  
Forensic Psychology ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Sexual Offence ◽  
Sexual Offences ◽  
Recidivism Rates ◽  
Deviant Arousal ◽  
Area Of Study

Victim age polymorphism describes a subset of serial sexual offenders who offend against victims from multiple age groups (Guay, Proulx, Cusson, & Ouimet, 2001). Research on victim age polymorphism is an important area of study as polymorphic offenders have been found to have high recidivism rates (Parent, Guay, & Knight, 2011). The current study provided an exploration of polymorphism in 72 sexual offenders who committed 361 stranger offences. Polymorphism occurred in 36% of offenders’ sexual offence series, with the majority of polymorphic offenders victimizing minors aged 11 to 14. In comparison to age specific offenders, polymorphic offenders were found to be a) younger at the start of their sexual offence series, b) more opportunistic, c) less concerned with victim characteristic, d) more likely to be antisocial, and e) a trend was observed that suggested they were more likely to show deviant arousal to rape. These results will be discussed within the contexts of Investigative and Forensic Psychology.

Expert Evidence to Counteract Jury Misconceptions about Consent in Sexual Assault Cases: Failures and Lessons Learned

2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Horan ◽  
Jane Goodman-Delahunty
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
The United States ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Expert Evidence ◽  
Undue Influence ◽  
Sexual Offences ◽  
Child Sexual Assault ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Sexual Assault Case ◽  
Trial Participants

This century has seen dramatic changes in the way in which sexual offences, particularly against children, are prosecuted in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. These jurisdictions have acknowledged the potential of myths and misconceptions about how a victim will behave, both during and after a sexual assault, to exert an undue influence on jurors. Expert evidence to educate jurors about common rape myths that apply to issues of consent has been used to redress this issue. However, such expert evidence poses significant challenges for the lawyers and experts. This article explores the effectiveness of educative expert evidence through analysis of an illustrative contemporary Australian child sexual assault case where the authors interviewed some of the jurors and other trial participants about their perceptions of the expert evidence. Practical suggestions to improve educative expert evidence are identified and explained.

Closing the Credibility Gap: The Prosecutorial Use of Expert Witness Testimony in Sexual Assault Cases

2005 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 239-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise Ellison
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Expert Witness ◽  
Sexual Offence ◽  
Criminal Courts ◽  
Sexual Offences ◽  
Witness Testimony ◽  
Home Office ◽  
Expert Witness Testimony ◽  
Criminal Process ◽  
The Usa

Recent Home Office research indicates that complainants in sexual offence cases still struggle to gain credibility in the eyes of police, prosecutors and jurors. This article examines some of the credibility barriers confronting victims of sexual offences within the criminal process. In the USA, prosecutors have utilised expert witness testimony in an effort to educate jurors and restore credibility to complainants' accounts. This article critically assesses these developments and explores the potential admissibility of ‘educational’ expert witness testimony in criminal courts in England and Wales.

Public Perception of Sexual Offence: A Comparison

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cody Sebben
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Sexual Offenders ◽  
Public Safety ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Sexual Offending ◽  
Personal Injury ◽  
Sexual Offence ◽  
Complete Understanding ◽  
Sexual Offences ◽  
Specific Factors

Studies show that, given the opportunity, most people would punish perpetrators of sexual assault more severely than those who commit other personal injury offences (Roberts, 1990). This study will attempt to explain why most people would prescribe harsher punishment to sexual offenders. Participants will take part in answering one of two questionnaires for the purpose of data collection, each with control variables. It is hypothesized that specific factors play a role in the belief that sexual offenders are a greater threat to individual and public safety than other offenders. These hypothesized factors include: risk to individual and public safety, lack of understanding with regard to sexual offences, belief that the offender has a greater likelihood to reoffend than non sexual offenders, and perception that treatment for sexual offending is not effective. Results from the study are anticipated to help explain why sexual offences are often thought to be more deserving of punishment than most other offences. It is anticipated that results will assist in providing a more complete understanding of sexual offences, both in public perception and in treatment.

Preventative Services for Sexual Offenders

Sexual Abuse ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lyne Piché ◽  
Jeffrey Mathesius ◽  
Patrick Lussier ◽  
Anton Schweighofer
Keyword(s):  
Primary Prevention ◽  
Sexual Offenders ◽  
Group Treatment ◽  
Sexual Offending ◽  
Sexual Offence ◽  
Sexual Offences ◽  
The Past ◽  
Preventative Interventions ◽  
Preventative Services

The role of primary prevention of sexual offences is an understudied area. The current study examined a sample ( N = 100) of men charged or convicted of a sexual offence to determine their interest in interventions that could be offered prior to offending, reasons for not seeking out interventions in the past, and demographic information including onset of deviant sexual fantasy and interests. The majority indicated that preventative interventions, including individual and group treatment, would have been beneficial, but inaccessibility of interventions and fear of arrest prevented them from seeking services. The findings suggest that men who progress to committing a sexual offence are interested in preventative interventions but require information regarding availability of accessible support and the development of primary prevention structures to fulfill society’s desire to prevent sexual offending.

scholarly journals Greater Knowledge Enhances Complainant Credibility and Increases Jury Convictions for Child Sexual Assault

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Goodman-Delahunty ◽  
Natalie Martschuk ◽  
Eunro Lee ◽  
Annie Cossins
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Expert Witness ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Child Sexual Assault ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Post Trial

Child sexual assault (CSA) cases reliant on uncorroborated testimony yield low conviction rates. Past research demonstrated a strong relationship between verdict and juror CSA knowledge such as typical delays in reporting by victims, and perceived victim credibility. This trial simulation experiment examined the effectiveness of interventions by an expert witness or an educative judicial direction in reducing jurors' CSA misconceptions. Participants were 885 jurors in New South Wales, Australia. After viewing a professionally acted video trial, half the jurors rendered individual verdicts and half deliberated in groups of 8–12 before completing a post-trial questionnaire. Multilevel structural equation modeling exploring the relationship between CSA knowledge and verdict demonstrated that greater CSA knowledge after the interventions increased the odds ratio to convict by itself, and that the judicial direction predicted a higher level of post-trial CSA knowledge in jurors than other expert interventions. Moreover, greater CSA knowledge was associated with heightened credibility perceptions of the complainant and a corroborating witness. At the conclusion of the trial, the more jurors knew about CSA, the higher the perceived credibility of both the complainant and her grandmother, and the more likely jurors were to convict the accused.

A Review of Outrage of Modesty Offenders Remanded in a State Mental Hospital

1997 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 349-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
A O M Chan ◽  
L E C Lim ◽  
S H Ong
Keyword(s):  
Mental Hospital ◽  
Psychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Past History ◽  
Sexual Offender ◽  
Sexual Offence ◽  
State Mental Hospital ◽  
Sexual Offences ◽  
History Of ◽  
Sound Mind ◽  
State Mental

Minor sexual offences have been increasing over the years. These include parasexual offences such as exhibitionism, frotteurism and its variant. In Singapore, a common minor sexual offence which involves touching, grabbing, kissing or fondling is known as outrage of modesty or molestation. To date no known studies have been made on this subtype of sexual offender. This is a five-year retrospective study looking into the profile of 157 outrage of modesty offenders remanded to Woodbridge Hospital, a state mental hospital. Results showed that schizophrenia was the predominant psychiatric diagnosis amongst the offenders (45.3%) followed by mental retardation (21.7%). Only 28.7% of those suffering from a mental illness experienced active psychiatric symptoms at the time of the sexual offence. Touching, stroking or fondling were the most frequently reported type of molestation (60.5%). The majority of the offences took place between 6 am and 6 pm. Only 15.3% had a past history of sexual offences and the majority (94.9%) were of sound mind at the time of the offence. There were no statistically significant differences between first time and repeat offenders with regard to age, ethnic group, educational level, marital status, diagnoses, place of offence, time and type of offence, soundness of mind and fitness to plead.

scholarly journals Characteristics of Female Solo and Female Co-Offenders and Male Solo Sexual Offenders Against Children

Sexual Abuse ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Williams ◽  
Steven M. Gillespie ◽  
Ian A. Elliott ◽  
Hilary J. Eldridge
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Offenders ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Female Offenders ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Treatment Needs ◽  
Personal Problems ◽  
Male Offenders ◽  
Sexual Dissatisfaction ◽  
History Of ◽  
Gender Specific

Studies have highlighted differences in the victim choice, offender, and offense characteristics of female and male sexual offenders. However, little is known about how solo and co-offending females differ from solo male sexual offenders. We compared the characteristics of 20 solo and 20 co-offending females (co-offended with a male and/or female accomplice), and 40 male sexual offenders against children. We found that solo female offenders showed the most evidence of personal problems, including depression and sexual dissatisfaction. Compared with male offenders, female co-offenders showed poorer self-management, but better sexual self-regulation. Male offenders had a greater history of offending and showed more evidence of sexual abuse supportive cognitions relative to both solo and co-offending females. These results are consistent with the need for a gender-specific approach to working with sexual offenders and may have implications for understanding the often complex treatment needs of these clients.

scholarly journals Alcohol Consumption among Sexual Offenders in the Context of Analysis of Forensic Psychiatric Assessments.

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dariusz Juszczak ◽  
Krzysztof Korzeniewski ◽  
Piotr Oglaza ◽  
Ewelina Puchalska-Reglińska
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Personality Disorders ◽  
Sexual Offenders ◽  
Sexual Offending ◽  
Alcohol Problems ◽  
Health Clinic ◽  
Sexual Offences ◽  
Survey Tool ◽  
History Of ◽  
Forensic Psychiatric

Introduction: The association of alcohol use with committing sexual offences is well established. However, there are still gaps in knowledge about the mechanisms which lead to alcohol overuse and related sexual violence occurring under the influence of alcohol among this group of perpetrators. Goal: The goal of this paper is to describe characteristics of perpetrators of sexual offences with regards to their self-declared alcohol use status: “overusing” – declaring overusing alcohol, “not-overusing” – declaring not overusing alcohol, and “abstaining” – declaring abstinence from alcohol. Material and Methods: Material for this study consisted of 180 individual forensic psychiatric reports issued by the experts from the Mental Health Clinic at the 10th Military Clinical Hospital in Bydgoszcz. The reports were reviewed by the study authors. Relevant data from was extracted using the survey tool developed for the purpose of this study: “Survey of Factors Determining Sexual Criminal Behaviour” Results: Statistically significant associations between several studied variables were noted and presented in table format, see tables 1-3 for details. Conclusions: Disinhibiting effect of alcohol on sexual offending is associated with coexisting personality disorders and organic personality disorders. Perpetrators of sexual offences overusing alcohol are characterized by poor levels of social functioning and personal history of being raised in dysfunctional families with alcohol problems.

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