NCJ Number
212819
Journal
Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment Volume: 17 Issue: 4 Dated: October 2005 Pages: 425-439
Date Published
October 2005
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This study examined the thinking and perception patterns in child molesters, rapists, and violent offenders that were linked to differences in offense patterns.
Abstract
Findings showed that rapists, compared to the other two groups, were more likely to have a mistrust of and hostility toward women. Child molesters were significantly more likely to have a sense of their worthlessness than the other offender types; and violent offenders were strongly motivated to fight back in punishing and taking revenge on those they perceived to have wronged or demeaned them. Although these three patterns of beliefs and perceptions were present to some degree across the three offender groups, the strength and link to offending behavior distinguished a pattern for each group. The study involved 12 rapists, 12 child molesters, and 12 violent offenders who were incarcerated in a male maximum-security prison. Each offender completed a "Life Map" (autobiography) and the My Life questionnaire (R. E. Mann and C. R. Hollin, 2001). Both of these instruments are designed to reveal patterns of belief, thinking, perceptions, and feelings. The Life Map was designed to reveal the following such patterns: grievance/revenge, suspicion/lack of trust, hostility to women, entitlement, sexual entitlement, need for control, victim stance, need to protect, and worthlessness. The My Life questionnaire was designed to reveal patterns of vengeful entitlement, need for control, and the sense of being a passive victim. 3 tables, 35 references, and appended template used in content analysis