André McKibben

Static and Dynamic Predictors of Recidivism in Sexual Aggressors

The aim of this study was to vefify whether static factors (criminal history, age, relationship status) and dynamic factors (deviance index based on phallometric data, score of psychometric testing) permit prediction of recidivism in sexual aggressors. Three types of recidivism (sexual, violent, criminal) were determined in 113 rapists and in 269 child molesters over an average follow-up of 64.5 months. The sexual reconviction rate was 21.2% in rapists and 13% in child molesters. Reconvicted rapists were younger and had more previous convictions than those who were not reconvicted, Compared with those who did not reoffend, the child molesters who were reconvicted for a sexual offense had higher pedophilic indices, had more previous sexual charges, were younger, more frequently had male victims, had more frequently extrafamilial victims, and a higher percentage of them were living alone. Psychometric data did not predict recidivism in either rapists or child molesters.

Modus Operandi of Sexual Offenders Working or Doing Voluntary Work with Children and Adolescents.

Abstract The aim of this study was to provide the first empirical description of the modus operandi of sexual offenders working or doing voluntary work with children and adolescents across all aspects of offender–victim interactions. The modus operandi was studied along the offence continuum, which included strategies used for gaining the victims trust, getting the victim to participate in sexual activity and keeping the victim from telling someone about the sexual contact. Twenty-three offenders agreed to participate in this study. They were recruited from prisons, probation and parole services, penitentiaries and treatment programs. Three sources of information were used. The most important source was the Modus Operandi Questionnaire (MOQ) developed by Kaufman. Data were also obtained from semi-structured interviews conducted with the offenders and from official sources, such as police reports and victim statements. Our results suggest that the modus operandi of these sexual offenders depended on their position of trust in relation to their victim. In fact, they used non-coercive strategies to achieve victim compliance. Implications for prevention strategies are also highlighted.

Penile responses of rapists and nonrapists to rape stimuli involving physical violence or humiliation

The sexual arousal profile of a subgroup of rapists with a history of low-level physical violence during their offenses was assessed. Twenty subjects participated: 10 rapists and 10 nonrapists. Stimuli consisted of audiotapes with the following five thematic contents: mutually consenting sexual activities; rape involving physical violence; rape involving humiliation; physical aggression without sexual activities; neutral. Penile responses were recorded during stimuli presentation using a mercury-in-rubber strain gauge. Data showed no differences between both groups for the rape stimuli involving physical violence. For the rape stimuli involving humiliation, however, the penile responses of the two groups differed. With those stimuli the average penile response of the rapists was higher than that of the nonrapists. Therefore, for this subgroup of rapists the association between sexual activities and humiliation presents a higher erotic value than the association between sexual activities and physical violence. Implication of these results as to the discriminant validity and classificatory accuracy of phallometry in rapists is discussed.

Personality Characteristics and Adaptive Strategies to Cope with Negative Emotional States and Deviant Sexual Fantasies in Sexual Aggressors

Research has shown that personality is related to strategies used to cope with stressful situations. No study, however, has investigated the link between personality and coping strategies learned in treatment programs. Consequently, the aim of this study was to determine whether the personality of sexual aggressors was related to the strategies used to cope with negative emotional states and deviant sexual fantasies. Personality was assessed using the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory–I and coping strategies with the Coping Strategy Report. Two personality profiles were identified: dramatic and anxious. Results showed that respondents with an anxious profile were less likely to use strategies to cope with conflicts and were less effective in coping with deviant sexual fantasies. Moreover, respondents with an anxious profile reported avoidance strategies as most effective to cope with negative moods, whereas those with a dramatic profile reported approach strategies as most effective.

Sexual preference assessment of sexual aggressors: Predictors of penile response magnitude

A current method used to assess the sexual preference of sexual aggressors is the recording of their penile responses during the presentation of erotic stimuli. This method is ineffective in subjects who do not obtain sufficient penile responses. Whether variables related either to the subjects or their crimes would correlate with the magnitude of penile responses during sexual preference assessment was studied. The penile responses of 92 subjects were recorded. Older and presentencing subjects showed a lower maximum penile response magnitude than younger and sentenced subjects. Results are discussed as they relate to the validity of physiological assessment of sexual preference.

Sexual Offenders’ Treatment Program of the Philippe Pinel Institute of Montréal

The Philippe Pinel Institute of Montreal (PPIM) is a maximum-security psychiatric hospital, founded in 1970, whose specific function since its inception has been to take charge of mentally disordered offenders. These include offenders diagnosed with a variety of conditions, from personality disorders to psychoses, who are sentenced under provincial jurisdiction (less than 2 years and 1 day) or under federal jurisdiction (more than 2 years), and under the lieutenant governor’s warrant (indefinite period of detention for subjects found not guilty due to insanity). Therapeutic management used to be based on current non-specialized psychiatric models. It was soon realized, however, that more specialization was required. Fortunately, this necessity was fully recognized by the clinicians and researchers as well as the administrators of PPIM.