Presents an assessment that examines prominent factors from the professional literature describing background and clinical characteristics of paraphilic individuals and sex offenders. Reliability and validity of measures in use are reviewed with suggestions for a battery of measures that offer some index of dangerousness and target for treatment.…

Investigated effects of gender of victim and offender, age of victim, and initiator of interaction on general public's perceptions of cases of child sexual abuse. In two studies (total n=282), manipulation of identity of initiating party was found to have strongest and most consistent effects. (Author/NB)

Results from questionnaires completed by 250 college students, faculty, and staff and from in-depth interviews with 12 sexual abuse victims revealed that few subjects made formal reports to authorities. Found fearfulness associated with formal reporting and tendency for victims to minimize victimization. Victims were likely to talk about…

Describes the development of a community forensic psychology service during its first 10 years of service. Service emphasizes cooperation among psychologists, probation officers, and others in establishing alternatives to custody for sex offenders, shoplifters, drug and alcohol abusers, and young criminals. Discusses theoretical orientation of the…

Compared 19 sexual offenders, 22 batterers, 10 violent community comparison subjects, and 21 community comparison subjects on demographic, personality, and attitudinal variables. Discriminating variables correctly classified 75 percent of participants. Hostility toward women and depression were two best discriminating variables, suggesting that…

Attachment theory is applied to identify systemic patterns encouraging juveniles to commit sexual offenses. The role of the helping system in perpetuating offenses is reviewed. The priority of family integrity and the role of professionals in breaking cycles of abuse and repairing earlier destructive emotional attachments are discussed. (EMK)

The Criminal Attribution Inventory (CRAI), drawing upon attribution theory and criminally-related domains, measures criminal responsibility and blame. The CRAI's six scales measure criminal responsibility (Psychopathology, Personality), external criminal blame (Victim, Alcohol, Society) and the attribution of crime to random factors (Random). The…

This research is an extension of a grounded theory study conducted to explore incest offender perceptions of treatment. Analysis of data from the original study as well as additional data indicate that offenders experience a "remodeling" process in a variety of ways; this holds implications for treatment strategies and outcomes. (LSR)

Presents the results of a meta-analysis of the predictors of female delinquency. Finds that most of the strong predictors of female delinquency are the same as those for males, including history of antisocial behavior, antisocial attitudes, antisocial peers, and antisocial personality. School and family relationships and a history of…

Explores the relationship among gender, gender role identity, emotional need, and sexual need in adult relationships of child sexual abusers and nonabusers. Implications of these and other findings are discussed in terms of theory and practice. (LKS)

Analyzes recidivism rates for 50 youths who had been placed at a state juvenile correctional facility for committing a sexual assault against an child. The results indicated that a majority of subjects were not found to be involved with the criminal justice system two years after release. (LKS)

Sex offenders have been shown to possess a number of consistent characteristics such as lack of empathic responding, distorted cognitions, a sense of entitlement, and lack of self-esteem. Though these constructs have been given considerable attention in the literature, little attention has been paid to what role intrapsychic conflict may play in…

Thirty-four (34) federally sentenced sex offenders in British Columbia were surveyed using the Yalom (1995) 12 therapeutic factors presented in a 60-item questionnaire Likert format, as well as a semi-structured interview regarding their perceptions of which curative factors were most beneficial to them in treatment. The mean scores for catharsis…

Explores the processes involved in treating sex offenders. Focuses on how therapists can feel traumatized by this patient population, the dynamism of transference, and tactics used by sex offender patients, such as seduction, imitation, intimidation, and invalidation. Describes ways for therapists to maintain objectivity and use transference…

A scientifically sound methodology for identifying offenders about whose presence the community should be notified is demonstrated. A stepwise multiple regression was calculated among incarcerated pedophiles (N=52) including both psychological and legal data; a precision-weighted equation produced 90.4% "true positives." This methodology can be…