Belinda Winder

“I never touched anybody—that's my defence”: A qualitative analysis of internet sex offender accounts

Abstract There is an ongoing public debate about internet sex offenders: do they progress to contact offences, or are their deviant interests sufficiently satisfied through downloading indecent images of children? Also, do such individuals accept that they create victims in the absence of direct physical contact with children? This paper presents an analysis of the accounts offered by individuals convicted of internet-based sexual offences involving the downloading and viewing of images of children (n = 7). The data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA); a number of themes were generated from the rich data set produced. Here we focus upon the dominant theme of “self-distancing” wherein interviewees variously and often creatively rejected the view that they were creating child victims, actively disidentified from the sex offender label and generally downplayed their accountability relating to their offending activities. Findings are discussed in relation to policy implications and treatment.

“They Treat Us Like Human Beings”—Experiencing a Therapeutic Sex Offenders Prison: Impact on Prisoners and Staff and Implications for Treatment

Research evidence demonstrates that sex offender treatment programmes (SOTPs) can reduce the number of sex offenders who are reconvicted. However, there has been much less empirical research exploring the experiences and perspectives of the prison environment within which treatment takes place. This is important, particularly for sexual offenders, as they often face multiple stigmas in prison. This study used a mixed-methods approach to explore the experiences of prisoners and staff at a therapeutically orientated sexual offenders’ prison to understand whether the prison environment was conducive to rehabilitation. The quantitative strand of the research sampled prisoners (n = 112) and staff (n = 48) from a therapeutically orientated sex offenders prison. This strand highlighted that both prisoners and staff had positive attitudes toward offenders and high beliefs that offenders could change. Importantly, the climate was rated positively and, in particular, participants had very high ratings of “experienced safety.” The qualitative strand of the research consisted of semistructured interviews with prisoners (n = 15) and a range of prison staff (n = 16). The qualitative analysis revealed positive prisoner views toward staff relationships, with most participants articulating that the prison and its staff had contributed to positive change in prisoners. Crucially, the environment was perceived as safe and allowed prisoners “headspace” to work through problems and contemplate change. This research offers some support to the notion that context is important for sex offender rehabilitation.

‘No-one in the world would ever wanna speak to me again’: an interpretative phenomenological analysis into convicted sexual offenders' accounts and experiences of maintaining and leaving denial

This paper is concerned with illuminating the experiences and perspectives of sexual offenders who had categorically denied their offences and, through their narratives, gain an insight into the processes behind and underlying both maintaining and coming out of, denial. The study is made up of interviews with 11 convicted sexual offenders who had each denied their offences but who are now admitting their guilt. The interviews were analysed qualitatively using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The analysis revealed three superordinate themes: ‘maintaining viable identities’; ‘being’ in denial’; and ‘wanting to change’. These themes are unpacked and their relevance to maintaining and leaving denial are discussed. Implications for treatment, including barriers to treatment for convicted sexual offenders who deny their offences are discussed.

Industrial Resilience and Decline: A Co-Evolutionary Framework

This book applies ideas and methods from the complexity perspective to key concerns in the social sciences, exploring co-evolutionary processes that have not yet been addressed in the technical or popular literature on complexity. Authorities in a variety of fields – including evolutionary economics, innovation and regeneration studies, urban modelling and history – re-evaluate their disciplines within this framework. The book explores the complex dynamic processes that give rise to socio-economic change over space and time, with reference to empirical cases including the emergence of knowledge-intensive industries and decline of mature regions, the operation of innovative networks and the evolution of localities and cities. Sustainability is a persistent theme and the practicability of intervention is examined in the light of these perspectives.

Working With Denial in Convicted Sexual Offenders A Qualitative Analysis of Treatment Professionals’ Views and Experiences and Their Implications for Practice

Denial in sexual offenders represents the first barrier to successful treatment a clinician is likely to face. However, there is currently no research focusing on the experiences of treatment professionals who treat and manage deniers. This study aimed to bridge this research gap and to gain an insight into the perspectives and experiences of professionals who treat and manage sex offenders in denial. The purpose was to ascertain their views on whether deniers are amenable to treatment, whether they should be offered treatment (as presently they are excluded from sex offender programmes), and what they believe may work with this population. A qualitative methodology was used, and treatment professionals were interviewed using semistructured interviews at a HM Prison in England. The main findings indicated that participants viewed denial as a barrier to treatment and that categorical deniers should be excluded from treatment. Implications for treatment are discussed, and it is concluded that viewing denial as a barrier to treatment impedes constructive work with offenders. It is argued that denial as an organising principle for treatment needs rethinking and that admittance may not be required for personal reform.

Simulating the Cladistic Evolution of Manufacturing

Summary A common belief within manufacturing is ‘the only constant is change’. Manufacturing cladistics was first developed in the early 1990s not only as a means of classibling manufacturing organisations but also, and perhaps more importantly, as a tool to both help deal with change, and use as a guide for organisational re-engineering. However, this approach has one major limitation — it is only a description of the past; the future is not represented. Uncertainty in decision-making and unknown barriers are thought to be major inhibitors behind the introduction of important innovations in technical, organisational and social domains. This paper reports on the results of a study that interprets two complimentary, but currently unrelated, areas of research, manufacturing cladistics and evolutionary systems methodology. This new framework would enable the exploration of evolutionary processes involved in the interactions of technologies and practices, facilitating decision-making as well as the exploration of new organisational structures.

Making Sense of Denial in Sexual Offenders: A Qualitative Phenomenological and Repertory Grid Analysis

Denial in sexual offenders represents the first barrier to successful treatment a clinician is likely to face. Most sex offender treatment programs devote significant time to overcoming denial, with most programs having a focus on disclosure and “accepting responsibility.” This is the first study that has aimed to make sense of sexual offenders’ denial through a rigorous qualitative analysis. The main objective was to explore the experiences and lived worlds of sexual offenders in denial. A qualitative phenomenological methodology combining interpretative phenomenological analysis and repertory grids was implemented. Ten incarcerated sexual offenders in categorical denial participated in the research. The analysis revealed the narrative, relational, and self-reconstructive properties of denial and discusses the role and function denial may be playing for sexual offenders. The results highlight that denial can be viewed as a form of “sense making” and that clinically relevant treatment targets can be elicited without disclosure. It is concluded that viewing denial as a barrier to treatment impedes constructive work with offenders, and implications for treatment are discussed.

Evaluating the factor structure and reliability of the Community Attitudes Toward Sex Offenders (CATSO) scale

Purpose – The study explored the factor structure and reliability of the Community Attitudes Toward Sex Offenders (CATSO) scale. The study also included an impression management scale.Design/methodology/approach – A total of 441 adults (134 male, 280 female, 27 ns) participated in this study from three populations: staff at a category B prison (n=62), staff at a category C sex offender prison (n=102) and staff at a UK university (n=248). Questionnaire packs included information/consent, demographics, the CATSO and the Paulhus impression management scale.Findings – Data were excluded where the Paulhus score was 12 (faking good/bad present). Confirmatory factor analysis with alternative models indicated the scale did not meet any of the requirements for an acceptable fit. Cronbachs α confirmed that two of the four sub‐scales were not internally consistent. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted following the removal of items with poor item‐total correlation and/or low/high facility index and, ...

Evaluation of the use of pharmacological treatment with prisoners experiencing high levels of hypersexual disorder

Abstract This paper presents an evaluation of the impact of pharmacological treatment in reducing hypersexual disorder in adult males who have been incarcerated following conviction for a sexual offence. The evaluation compares two types of pharmacological treatment, one of which is part of the current NICE guidance for treatment of hypersexuality (Antiandrogens), whilst the other type (SSRIs) is off-label use in the UK for hypersexuality. The participant pool comprised 127 adult male prisoners serving sentences for sexual offences in a UK prison. Participants had been voluntarily referred for pharmacological treatment to manage hypersexual disorder. The results demonstrated a significant reduction of hypersexual disorder pre- and post-medication and contribute to the evidence base for the use of pharmacological treatment with individuals for whom hypersexual disorder may be a salient factor in their offending. Limitations of the current research are discussed.

Preliminary evaluation of the use of pharmacological treatment with convicted sexual offenders experiencing high levels of sexual preoccupation, hypersexuality and/or sexual compulsivity

The current study presents the preliminary evaluation of the impact of pharmacological treatment (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and anti-androgens) on hypersexuality, sexual preoccupation and sexual compulsivity. The participant pool comprised 64 convicted UK sexual offenders who had been voluntarily referred for pharmacological treatment to reduce their hypersexual arousal, 51 of whom agreed to take the medication (with a further five individuals on hold or under assessment at the time of data extraction). The preliminary findings were very encouraging; analysis on measures assessing sexual preoccupation, hypersexuality and sexual compulsivity indicated a significant reduction between pre- and post-medication, across both types of medication. Limitations of the current research are discussed.