Dawn Fisher

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.

Assessing female sexual offenders' motivations and cognitions: an exploratory study

Abstract Semi-structured interviews eliciting cognitions and motivations were carried out with 15 incarcerated female child sexual abusers (nearly 50% of the current UK female sexual offender prison population). Qualitative analysis indicated that four of the five motivational schemas (implicit theories) suggested by Ward (Ward, 2000; Ward & Keenan, 1999) to underlie male sexual offenders’ cognitions could be clearly identified in women, these were: Uncontrollability (UN, identified in 87% of participants), Dangerous world (DW, 53%), Children as sexual objects (CSO, 47%) and Nature of harm (NH, 20%). Entitlement, the final implicit theory (IT), commonly found in males, was not identified in any participants in the sample. Further analysis indicated that there were four main motivational types of offender based on combinations of these ITs. These were: (1) presence of DW/CSO, indicating sexual motivation and cognitions with fear of violence; (2) presence of DW/no CSO, indicating fear of violence with no sexual cognition or motivation; (3) presence of CSO/no DW, indicating sexual motivation and cognition; the NH IT also strongly featured in this group; and (4) presence of UN/no DW or CSO, indicating lack of control, sometimes with sense of protection for the victim. Suggestions are made on how the results can inform theoretical developments in the field as well as policy and practice.

The Rehabilitation of Child Sex Offenders

Model of treatment is described which outlines the typical cognitive-behavioural approach to treatment of child sexual abusers in the United Kingdom (UK) The model describes treatment, which addresses the following areas: denial, offence specific deficits, socioaffective problems and relapse prevention skills. Research evidence is outlined as to why these areas need to be addressed in treatment, and an argument is made about the importance of dealing with the areas in the order set out in the model. Finally, the model outlines potential mediators to treatment effectiveness: motivation to change, locus of control and level of fixation. In this section of the model we describe how these can have an effect upon treatment efficacy.

Assessing risk of re-offending in sexual offenders

This paper reviews the literature pertaining to risk factors for further offending in convicted sex offenders. Various studies have shown that data on past convictions in sex offenders have predictive power for subsequent rates of re-conviction. A procedure is described here to combine this with interview data and treatment response, which categorises individual offenders into differing levels of predicted risk.

Social relationships in sexual offenders

Abstract In this paper the importance of relationships for understanding sexual offenders is discussed. Studies of social competence in sex offender populations are reviewed. A move from the study of social skills to social relationships is noted and this is seen as an important development. An attempt is made to locate relationships within current models of sexual offending. Relationship formation will need to be more thoroughly addressed in assessments and treatment programmes in the future.

Reconstituting families after sexual abuse: the offender's perspective

The factors involved in rehabilitating an offender back into a family are discussed from the perspective of the assessment and treatment goals required for the offender. The sources of information available to use for assessment are described and the limitations and difficulties of each source are discussed. As a way of ensuring that all relevant factors are addressed, a model is presented which indicates which areas need to be assessed for each individual. This covers denial, social inadequacy, pro-offending attitudes and relapse prevention. Copyright

Current Practice in Britain With Sexual Offenders

This article provides an overview of the current situation regarding the management and treatment of sexual offenders in Britain. It also describes the work of the National Association for the Development of Work with Sex Offenders (NOTA), a professional association for those involved in working with sexual offenders, and it gives a brief overview of the first of a series of treatment evaluation studies commissioned by the British government.

An exploration of child sexual abusers' cognitive distortions with special reference to the role of anger

Abstract There is a substantial literature looking at the relationship between cognitive distortions and child sexual abuse. In the present study, using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, a description of the type of cognitive distortions reported by child sexual abusers both pre- and post-intervention, and the role of anger in sexual offences against children are discussed. The implications of this information for subsequent intervention programmes are explored.

The effectiveness of relapse prevention training in a group of incarcerated child molesters

Abstract A sample of child molesters participating in the U.K. prison sex offender treatment programme (SOTP) were required to complete a relapse prevention questionnaire before and after treatment. Results indicated that there were significant improvements in both awareness of risk situations and coping strategies, as measured by this instrument, through treatment. Nine months after the end of treatment most agreed to complete the questionnaire again. Those who had shown significant changes in terms of reduction of pro-offending attitudes through treatment maintained their RP skills. Men whose attitudes had not changed, although evidencing good RP skills at the end of treatment, were found to have lost these. This was most noticeable among men who had been released into the community and who had undergone a relatively short amount of therapy on the original SOTP (80 hours). These results indicate that RP training is only really useful where individuals have genuinely changed through treatment; and that the RP training should only be undertaken as part of an extensive treatment programme covering all areas of offending behaviour.