Donna M. Vandiver

Offender and Victim Characteristics of Registered Female Sexual Offenders in Texas: A Proposed Typology of Female Sexual Offenders

Victim and offender characteristic of all registered adult female sexual offenders in Texas (N = 471) were examined. The most common offenses the females were arrested for were indecency with a child—sexual contact, sexual assault on a child, and aggravated sexual assault on a child. The majority (88%) of the females were Caucasian and the ages ranged from 18 to 77 (M = 32). The results of Hierarchical Loglinear Modeling yielded a complex relationship between offender and victim characteristics; thus, identification of preferred victims is mitigated by more than one variable. Additionally, the employment of cluster analysis yielded 6 types of female sexual offenders. The most common group includes 146 offenders, heterosexual nurturers. They were the least likely to have an arrest for a sexual assault. The victims were males who averaged 12 years of age. The other types of offenders included, noncriminal homosexual offenders, female sexual predators, young adult child exploiters, homosexual criminals, and aggressive homosexual offenders.

Female Sex Offenders: An Overview and Analysis of 40 Cases

Although a great deal of literature pertains to male sex offenders, it is not known whether these research findings are applicable to female sex offenders because little empirical research regarding female sex offenders exists. Currently, females make up approximately one percent to two percent of all sex offenders. This article includes a case review of the 40 registered female sex offenders in the state of Arkansas. The female sex offenders are compared to the registered male sex offenders in Arkansas. The majority of the female sex offenders were found to be Caucasian with an average age of 31 at the time of the first sex offense. Most of the offenders had a history of only one sex offense with no other criminal history. Most of the offenders were arrested for rape or first-degree sexual abuse. Females were slightly younger the male sex offenders at the time of arrest for their initial sex offense. Females were significantly more likely to be first-time offeders at the time of rest for their first sex offenders. The article concludes that female sex offenders differ slightly from males, indicating the need for the development of a new sex offender typology.

A Prospective Analysis of Juvenile Male Sex Offenders Characteristics and Recidivism Rates as Adults

This research assesses the recidivism rates of a sample of 300 registered male sex offenders who were juveniles at the time of their initial arrest for a sex offense. This sample is followed for 3 to 6 years after they reached adulthood; recidivism rates are assessed during their adulthood only. The typical juvenile is a 15-year-old Caucasian male who was arrested for sexual assault or indecency with a child. The majority of the victims are females with an average age of 8. Although only 13 are rearrested during the follow-up period for a sex offense, more than half of the sample is arrested at least once for a nonsexual offense. The results of a Cox regression indicate that victim age, offender age, and victim sex are significant predictors of recidivism during adulthood.

Female sex offenders: a comparison of solo offenders and co-offenders.

Even though much of the prior sex offender literature focuses on males, recent research has included females as offenders. Such research, however, has been limited by small sample sizes. Several researchers have proposed typologies of female sex offenders that include both females who act alone (i.e., solo offenders) and females who act with another person (i.e., co-offenders), often a male. The current research includes a cross-national sample of 123 females who were solo offenders and 104 who were co-offenders. It was found that the two groups of females were not significantly different in regard to their age, race, time of offense, and the location of the offense. Co-offenders were more likely than solo offenders to have more than one victim, to have both male and female victims, to be related to the victim, and to have a nonsexual offense in addition to the sexual offense listed.

Juvenile Female and Male Sex Offenders A Comparison of Offender, Victim, and Judicial Processing Characteristics

This research examines 61 juvenile female sex offenders in terms of their offending patterns, demographics, and victim characteristics; these findings are compared to 122 juvenile male sex offenders. Relying on sex offender registration data and criminal history records, bivariate analyses are conducted to assess male-female differences. Logistic regression is also employed to further assess group membership (male and female). Females were typically younger than males at the time of their arrest for a sex offense. Female offenders also chose male and female victims proportionately, whereas males were more likely to choose female victims. Logistic regression analysis revealed two significant predictors of the offenders sex: victims sex and length of sentence. This research, therefore, indicates different modalities of offense characteristics for males and females, which predicates different management strategies in terms of identification for these groups of offenders.

A Qualitative Assessment of Registered Female Sex Offenders: Judicial Processing Experiences and Perceived Effects of a Public Registry

In this study, the effect that the sex offender registry has had on female sex offenders in two states is explored. In-depth personal interviews were conducted with nine registered female sex offenders from Illinois and Texas. Questions were asked about the arrest that led to registration and the effect that sex offender registration statutes have had on their lives. Braithwaites crime, shame, and reintegration theory was relied on to assess the extent to which the processes described in his theory occurred in this sample. The focus of many of the questions included whether the women were able to reintegrate into their communities or if they were stigmatized. It was found that every respondent reported at least one negative effect on her life as a result of being identified on the public registry. Also, many of the stigmatization processes described by Braithwaite were applicable to the interviewed women.

Factors That Affect College Students’ Perceptions of Rape What Is the Role of Gender and Other Situational Factors?

Prior research has shown that various situational factors and behaviors can affect one’s perception of whether a rape has occurred. Moreover, some hold false beliefs about rape. This can also affect one’s perception of ambiguous situations. This study included the administration of a survey to 584 college students; the survey examined the prevalence of rape myths and responses to vignettes of potential rape scenarios. It was found that although the majority of this sample did not support rape myths, male students were significantly more likely than female students to support rape myths. Furthermore, approximately 20% of students did support one subscale of the rape myth scale: He didn’t mean to [commit rape]. The results also revealed an interaction effect between the observer’s sex and the victim’s sex, suggesting a complex gender relationship.

Assessing gender differences and co-offending patterns of a predominantly "male-oriented" crime: a comparison of a cross-national sample of juvenile boys and girls arrested for a sexual offense.

This study examines male–female differences of juveniles arrested for a sex offense. A cross-national sample of juvenile boys (n = 177) and a population of juvenile girls (n = 177) arrested for a sex offense are utilized for this analysis. It is hypothesized that (1) boys and girls differ substantially in their offending patterns. Based on Moffitt’s social-amplification hypothesis, it is also hypothesized that (2) juveniles who act with a co-offender commit more serious offenses (i.e., more likely to be arrested for rape and have more victims) compared to those who act alone. The results show boys differ from girls: juvenile girls are slightly younger, more likely to be White, more likely to have a co-offender, less likely to commit rape, and be processed formally by law enforcement. The results yielded indicated social amplification appears to occur when girls offend with a co-offender, but not when boys acted with a co-offender.

Assessing autonomous learning in research methods courses: Implementing the student-driven research project

As empirical assessments of teaching strategies increase in many disciplines and across many different courses, a paucity of such assessment seems to exist in courses devoted to social science research methods. This lack of assessment and evaluation impedes progress in developing successful teaching pedagogy. The teaching— learning issue addressed here incorporates active learning teaching strategies with autonomous student learning. The strategy was implemented in research methods courses with inherently complex material not conducive to passive teaching and learning strategies. This work implemented a pre/post-test assessment of undergraduate students in a research methods course who participated in a semester-long tiered-assignment research project. Findings suggest that students’ learning preferences increased over the semester for each type inquired; students felt, upon completion of the semester, that they could conduct a research project if asked to do so; their interest in research methods and appreciation for the subject increased over the semester; and they enjoyed learning about their peers’ behavior.

Assaultive Behavior in Bars: A Gendered Comparison

This research assesses the prevalence, nature, and arrest patterns of barroom aggression; it includes a cross-national sample of men and women involved in simple or aggravated assault. Prior research indicates bars are a haven for assaults; however, little research has focused on female involvement in barroom assault. Data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System are used to assess differences between men (n = 9,262) and women (n = 2,787) involved in barroom assaults during 2005. Results shed light on an understudied population of barroom offenders. Specifically, women are younger than their male counterparts and more likely to use a weapon during a barroom altercation. Additionally, while barroom assault is intrasexual in nature, women are more likely than men to assault outside their sex.