Anthony R. Beech

The Relationship Between Static and Dynamic Risk Factors and Reconviction in a Sample of U.K. Child Abusers

This study examined how well historical information and psychometric data predicted sexual recidivism in a sample of child abusers about to undergo group-based cognitive behavioral treatment in the community. Static, historical factors, as measured by the Static-99 (R. K. Hanson & D. Thornton, 2000), significantly predicted recidivism over the 6-year follow-up period. High-risk men were over 5 times more likely to be reconvicted for a sexual offence compared to low-risk men. Adding psychometric measures of dynamic risk (e.g., pro-offending attitudes, socio-affective problems) significantly increased the accuracy of risk prediction beyond the level achieved by the actuarial assessment of static factors. This result indicates the importance of considering dynamic risk factors in any comprehensive risk protocol.

Risk Assessment of Sex Offenders

What is needed to carry out a thorough risk assessment of an ex-offender? This article describes four major components: (a) a functional analysis of the offense process in order to determine how the offenders’ problems contributed to their offending and to identify the modus operandi used in their offense(s); (b) the application of a suitable actuarial risk predictor to assess the offender’s global level of risk; (c) identification of stable dynamic risk factors that make potential treatment targets; and (d) monitoring of acute dynamic factors that indicate offending is imminent. Professionals working with sexual offenders are often called on to assess the risk that the offenders present. These assessments are normally concerned either with the risk of further sexual offenses or with the risk of future violence of any kind. To carry out this task, the professional can use an actuarial risk predictor or clinical judgment. Actuarial instruments are empirically derived but are essentially atheoretical in character, in that they provide no guidance on which psychological risk factors underlie risk and hence no indication of how risk can be reduced or when such a reduction in risk has taken place (e.g., through successful treatment). Clinical judgment may allow a decision to be made at an ideographic level but has until recently been both idiosyncratic and unfounded in the research. In the last few years very real attempts have been made to draw these approaches together, both in general risk assessment (i.e., Andrews & Bonta, 1995) and its application to sexual offenders (Beech, Erikson, Friendship, & Hanson, 2002; Thornton, 2002).

Comparison of Sex Offenders to Nonoffenders on Selected Psychological Measures

A group of 140 child molesters (59 participating in community-based sex offender treatment programs and 81 incarcerated child molesters) were compared on a range of psychological measures to a group of 81 nonoffenders. Child molesters were found to be significantly lower in self-esteem, higher on emotional loneliness and personal distress, and to show deficits in victim empathy. Further differences were found between high- and low-deviancy offenders in terms of assertiveness, perspective taking, cognitive distortions regarding children, and emotional congruence with children. General empathy did not appear to be directly related to empathy for one’s own victim and the presence of cognitive distortions was only significant in high-deviancy child molesters. Some victim-blaming attitudes and distorted thinking regarding children and sex were found in the nonoffender group.

Therapeutic Climate of Sexual Offender Treatment Programs

A measure of group atmosphere, the Group Environment Scale (GES), was administered to members and leaders of 12 sexual offender treatment groups: 8 were probation programs; 4 were conducted at a long-term residential center. The GES measured the following aspects of group processes: relationships within the group, personal growth of members, and structure of the group. Results suggested that the atmosphere of a group had an important influence on treatment change. A successful group was highly cohesive, was well organized and led, encouraged the open expression of feelings, produced a sense of group responsibility, and instilled a sense of hope in its members. A helpful and supportive leadership style was found to be important in creating an atmosphere in which effective therapy could take place. Overcontrolling leaders were seen to have a detrimental effect upon group climate. It is suggested that the employment of a group process measure, such as the GES, would be a useful inclusion to any outcome evaluation of treatment programs.

A Psychometric Typology of Child Abusers

A psychometric battery of measures, assessing a range of problem areas, was completed by 140 convicted untreated child abusers. Measures were adjusted for social desirability. Cluster analysis of the data identified men on the basis of deviancy (levels of pro-offending attitudes and social inadequacy) and denial (self-reported levels of offending behaviors). Examination of offense histories found that high-deviancy men, compared to low-deviancy men, were more likely to have been convicted of a previous sexual offense; to have committed offenses against boys, or both boys and girls; to have committed extrafamilial, or both extra-and intrafamilial, offenses; and to have had many victims. A method of identifying deviancy, which showed good cross-validation, also was derived. Although low-deviancy men were much more likely to be incest offenders than were high-deviancy men, nearly 40% of high-deviancy men were found to be intrafamilial offenders, suggesting that identifying deviancy level may be a useful adjunct to any risk assessment.

Sexual murderers' implicit theories

Interviews with 28 sexual murderers were subjected to grounded theory analysis. Five implicit theories (ITs) were identified: dangerous world, male sex drive is uncontrollable, entitlement, women as sexual objects, and women as unknowable. These ITs were found to be identical to those identified in the literature as being present in rapists. The presence of dangerous world and male sex drive is uncontrollable were present, or absent, such that three groups could be identified: (a) dangerous world plus male sex drive is uncontrollable; (b) dangerous world, in the absence of male sex drive is uncontrollable; (c) male sex drive is uncontrollable in the absence of dangerous world. These three groups were found to differ in motivation: (a) were motivated by urges to rape and murder; (b) were motivated by grievance, resentment and/or anger toward women; (c) were motivated to sexually offend but were prepared to kill to avoid detection, or secure compliance.

Psychological Profiles of Internet Sexual Offenders Comparisons With Contact Sexual Offenders

A sample of 505 Internet sex offenders and 526 contact sex offenders were compared on a range of psychological measures relating to offense-supportive beliefs, empathic concern, interpersonal functioning, and emotional management. Internet offenders could be successfully discriminated from contact offenders on 7 out of 15 measures. Contact offenders were found to have significantly more victim empathy distortions and cognitive distortions than Internet offenders. Internet offenders were found to have significantly higher identification with fictional characters than contact offenders. Further analysis indicated that an increase in scores on scales of fantasy, underassertiveness, and motor impulsivity were predictive of an Internet offense type. An increase in scores of scales of locus of control, perspective taking, empathic concern, overassertiveness, victim empathy distortions, cognitive distortions, and cognitive impulsivity were found to be predictive of a contact offense type. These findings are discussed in the context of the etiology of sexual offending.

Identification of five fundamental implicit theories underlying cognitive distortions in child abusers: A preliminary study

Abstract Qualitative analysis of interviews with 22 child abusers found strong evidence for Ward and Keenans (1999) proposal that there are five implicit theories in child abusers that account for the majority of their cognitive distortions/thinking errors. These implicit theories are: Child as a sexual being where children are perceived as being able to and wanting to engage in sexual activity with adults and also are not be harmed by such sexual contact; Nature of harm where the offender perceives that sexual activity does not cause harm (and may in fact be beneficial) to the child; Entitlement where the child abuser perceives that he is superior and more important than others: and hence is able to have sex with whoever, and whenever, he wants; Dangerous world where the offender perceives that that others are abusive and rejecting and he must fight to regain control; and Uncontrollable where the offender perceives the world as uncontrollable and hence he believes that circumstances are outside of his control. There was no evidence for any other type of implicit theory. Results of the study also indicated that there was a significant difference in terms of the endorsement of the Dangerous world implicit theory between participants reporting a history of child sexual abuse and those who did not. Offenders against male victims were significantly more likely to endorse the Child as a sexual being and Dangerous world implicit theories compared to men who had offended against female children.

The Relationship of Statistical and Psychological Risk Markers to Sexual Reconviction in Child Molesters

This study examines the integration of statistical and psychological risk factors using psychometric markers of psychopathology and psychosexual characteristics from the Static-99 in 119 sexual offenders. Psychological risk markers are combined to approximate four deviancy domains: sexual interests, distorted attitudes, socio-affective functioning, and self-management. The sexual interests domain predicts sexual reconviction independent of Static-99. The four deviancy domains are used to calculate the Psychological Deviance Index, which was also found to predict sexual reconviction independent of Static-99. Organizing the Static-99 risk items into three subscales (sexual deviance, general criminality, and immaturity) reveals a distinct pattern of correlations within the psychological markers and risk domains. The Static-99 sexual deviance and general criminality subscales make modest predictions. Results support the use of integrating statistical and psychological markers within a risk domains framework in predicting sexual reconviction.

Cross-Validation of the Risk Matrix 2000 Sexual and Violent Scales

The predictive accuracy of the newly developed actuarial risk measures Risk Matrix 2000 Sexual/Violence (RMS, RMV) were cross validated and compared with two risk assessment measures (SVR-20 and Static-99) in a sample of sexual (n= 85) and nonsex violent (n= 46) offenders. The sexual offense reconviction rate for the sex offender group was 18% at 10 years follow-up, compared with 2% for the violent offenders. Survival analyses revealed the violent offenders were reconvicted at twice the rate compared to sexual offenders. The RMV significantly predicted violent recidivism in the sex and combined sex/violent offender groups. Although the RMS obtained marginal accuracy in predicting sexual reconviction in the sex offender group, none of the scales significantly predicted sexual reconviction. An item analysis revealed four factors not included in the risk scales that were significantly correlated with sexual and violent reconviction. Combining these factors with Static-99, RMV, and RMS increased the accuracy in predicting sexual reconviction.