NCJ Number
139467
Journal
Reports of the National Research Institute of Police Science Volume: 33 Issue: 1 Dated: (July 1992) Pages: 30-41
Date Published
1992
Length
12 pages
Annotation
A total of 270 Japanese child molestation cases that occurred in 1989 and 1990 were analyzed to identify offenders' traits and possibly to establish a criminal profile from the information obtained at the crime scene.
Abstract
The study found that although a large majority of the molesters were strangers (8 percent) to the victims, some were neighbors (9 percent). Parental molestation was rare. All the offenders were males, and the majority were under 30 years old. Offenders with a history of mental disorder and mental retardation constituted 17 percent of the offenders. Their education was meager, and approximately 40 percent were either unemployed or employed as construction laborers. Only 17 percent were married; 47 percent were living with their parents, and 22 percent were living alone. Fifty-two percent of the offenders had one or more previous offenses, and 36 percent had committed one or more sexual offenses, including child molestation and rape. Regarding personality characteristics, approximately half of the offenders were rated as "gloomy, lonely, introverted" types. Among middle- aged and elderly offenders, alcoholic beverages were influential in reducing their inhibitions in the commission of child molestation. 16 tables and 9 references (Author abstract modified)