NCJ Number
223544
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 52 Issue: 4 Dated: August 2008 Pages: 378-400
Date Published
August 2008
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This article explores personality aspects of three types of rapists.
Abstract
This article discloses that unique personality features were exhibited among certain types of rapists, and each rapist type displayed a number of convergent as well as divergent character traits. The article notes that the extant research on rapists repeatedly indicates that particular offender types can be specified, which include the power, anger, and sadistic assailants. Despite such classifications, limited empirical or anecdotal efforts have undertaken the task of exploring the personality features of each rapist type, and this writing endeavors to fill this gap in the literature. Citing the findings on personality and character traits, the article concludes with a series of summary observations relevant for future research on rape and personality as well as prospects for clinical diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. It is recommended that additional investigations on rapist types and personality composition be undertaken. This research used the heuristic analytical lens and the case study method, and reviewed the high-profile crimes of Gilbert Escobedo (power type), Paul Bernardo (anger type), and Jeffrey Dahmer (sadistic type). The findings from this heuristically oriented group suggest that rapists are a heterogeneous group who must be studied as such. The analysis was limited in scope and not generalizable to a larger sample of rapists. Table, notes, references