NCJ Number
141693
Journal
Case In Point Issue: 6 Dated: (March 1993) Pages: complete issue
Date Published
1993
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Four detailed case histories are presented with commentaries intended to help criminal justice personnel, educators, child welfare professionals, and health care providers understand the backgrounds, behaviors, and techniques of serial child molesters and abductors.
Abstract
The reports come from the research findings of the Massachusetts Treatment Center in Bridgewater. The data came from FBI interviews of incarcerated murderers between 1985 and 1989. Two of the four offenders came from stable, intact families; one from a dysfunctional family with an abusive alcoholic father; and one from a family in which the parents constantly quarreled and divorced when he was 8 years old. Three of the four offenders were low in social competence, while all four had a high sexual preoccupation with children. Three had early manifestations of sexually deviant thoughts, fantasy, or behavior, as well as sexual victimization. However, none felt any attachment or relatedness to their victims. Although these case histories are extreme cases, proper educational programs for both parents and children might prevent some of these tragedies. Programs should emphasize the dangers involved and present several examples of both verbal and physical situations that are overtly or covertly sexual in nature and the dangers involved. Programs should also include a repertoire of simple responses that the child could use. Each program could be tailored to a specific age group. Followup programs and a referral systems should also be provided. Charts and notes