NCJ Number
223117
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 19 Issue: 4 Dated: April 2004 Pages: 371-388
Date Published
April 2004
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This study examined a stratified geographic sample of convicted rapists compare with child molesters in the areas of sexual victimization and compliance.
Abstract
The limited research literature that relates specifically to sexual offenders against adults (rapists) would suggest that they are more likely to demonstrate a greater criminogenic profile but to have experienced fewer childhood and adult psychological difficulties than child molesters. This study describes the characteristics of an urban sample of convicted rapists (n =80), and compares them to a sample of child molesters (n = 230) on background and offense-related variables. Although there were a number of similarities between the two groups, rapists were less likely to have been sexually victimized as a child. The sexual recidivism rate was low (5 percent) for rapists after an average time at risk of 3 years despite a trend toward them being less compliant in the community. Treatment needs of those with a range of psychological difficulties and future directions for research are discussed. These include the need to increase the sample size, particularly of those in community treatment; the augmentation of data with information on cognitive and affective functioning in rapists; and the need to address the role of risk-related variables in predicting community failure. Data were collected from 310 participants over a 7-year period and included 80 offenders against adults and 230 child molesters. Tables, references