NCJ Number
141178
Journal
Bulletin of American Academy of Psychiatry and Law Volume: 13 Issue: 1 Dated: (1985) Pages: 39-70
Date Published
1985
Length
32 pages
Annotation
A sample of 108 sex offenders provides the basis of this review of the ongoing development of the Massachusetts Treatment Center's taxonomic system of sexually aggressive offenders and its reliability.
Abstract
The model requires an initial decision about the meaning of aggression in the offense, followed by a decision regarding the meaning of sexuality in the offense, and finally a decision concerning the relative amount and quality of impulse control in the offender's life history. The use of a decision- tree model allows for a finite number of well-specified decisions. Profiles of eight subtypes are outlined: (1) instrumental aggression, rape as sexual compensation, nonimpulsive lifestyle; (2) instrumental aggression, rape as sexual compensation, impulse control problem; (3) instrumental aggression, rape as exploitation, nonimpulsive lifestyle; (4) instrumental aggression, rape as exploitation, impulse control problem; (5) expressive aggression, rape as displaced anger, nonimpulsive lifestyle; (6) expressive aggression, rape as displaced anger, impulse control problem; (7) expressive aggression, rape as sexual-aggressive (sadistic) act, nonimpulsive lifestyle; (8) and expressive aggression, rape as sexual-aggressive (sadistic) act, impulse control problem. Clinical vignettes illustrate the eight subtypes. A table presents the percentage of interrater agreement for each decision by subtype. 1 figure, 4 tables, and 47 references