NCJ Number
219744
Journal
Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment Volume: 19 Issue: 2 Dated: June 2007 Pages: 73-89
Date Published
June 2007
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This study attempted to verify the typologies of female sex offenders put forth by Vandiver and Kercher (2004).
Abstract
Results indicated six distinct types of female sex offenders that reinforced the importance of factors such as victim and offender ages in categorizing female sex offenders. The six typologies of female sex offenders, however, differed substantially from the typologies identified by Vandiver and Kercher (2004). The six types of female sex offenders identified in the current analysis were: (1) criminally-limited hebephiles; (2) criminally-prone hebephiles; (3) young adult child molesters; (4) high-risk chronic offenders; (5) older non-habitual offenders; and (6) homosexual child molesters. While the typologies differed from Vandiver and Kercher’s typologies, the findings generally support their research findings. The results also support the contention that female sex offenders are a heterogeneous group. Future research on the development of female sex offender typologies should test the impact of adding four variables to the research model: victim-offender relationship, male accomplice, psychological disorder, and abuse history. Participants were all female sex offenders (N=390) listed in the New York State sex offender registry as of August 2005. Data on offender demographics, offense characteristics, and victim information were drawn from the New York State sex offender registry. Data related to the arrest, conviction, disposition, and sentencing were drawn from the participant’s criminal history files. Data were analyzed using the same methods employed by Vandiver and Kercher (2004), which included the use of hierarchical loglinear modeling (HLM) and cluster analysis. Table, figure, references