Eric Beauregard

Script Analysis of the Hunting Process of Serial Sex Offenders

This study identified hunting process scripts in a sample of 361 serial sex crimes committed by 72 serial sex offenders, using multiple correspondence analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis. Three hunting process scripts that take into account both behavioral and geographic aspects of crime were identified. These three scripts included different tracks of the hunting process. The coercive script includes the home-intrusion rape track and the outdoor rape track. The manipulative script includes the sophisticated rape track and the family-infiltrator rape track. The nonpersuasive script includes only the direct action rape track. The theoretical relevance of these three scripts and their practical implications for crime prevention strategies and geographic profiling are discussed.

Profiles in the Offending Process of Nonserial Sexual Murderers

The aim of this study was to investigate specific pathways in the offending processes of nonserial sexual murderers and to examine possible relationships with different precrime, per-crime, and postcrime factors. Included in this study were 36 offenders who have committed at least one sexual murder against a female victim and they were classified using cluster analysis. Participants using the sadistic pathway planned their offenses and used physical restraints during the offenses. Furthermore, they mutilated and humiliated their victims. Finally, they hid the bodies of the victims. Participants using the anger pathway had not premeditated the homicide. Mutilation, humiliation, and physical restraints were less predominant with these participants than with those using the sadistic pathway. Moreover, these offenders were more likely to leave the bodies at the crime scenes after the killings occurred. These two profiles are compared with empirical studies addressing sexual homicide.

Sexual Murderers of Children: Developmental, Precrime, Crime, and Postcrime Factors

The amount of empirical research on men who commit sexual murders is scarce, and no distinction has been made between those who have victimized adults and those who have victimized children. Therefore, to better understand specifically sexual murderers of children (n = 11), comparisons were performed with a group of sexual murderers of adult women (n = 66) on developmental, precrime, crime, and postcrime factors. It appears that sexual murderers of children are more often victims of sexual abuse during childhood and present more often deviant sexual fantasies as compared to sexual murderers of women. The results show also that sexual murderers of children more often use pornography prior to crime, have contact with the victim prior to crime, and commit a crime more often characterized by premeditation, strangulation, the hiding of the body, and its dismemberment than the sexual murderers of women.

Modus Operandi and Situational Aspects in Adolescent Sexual Offenses Against Children: A Further Examination

The relationship between situational factors and the modus operandi of 103 adolescents involved in sexual offenses against children (12 years old or younger) is analyzed. Situational factors taken into account in this study are the location of the crime, the offender—victim relationship, and the presence of deviant sexual fantasies involving the victim prior to the offense. Modus operandi strategies were measured on the basis of participants responses to Kaufmans Modus Operandi Questionnaire. Results indicate that modus operandi strategies are influenced by situational factors and that the offenders home, when no one else is home, is likely to be the place and the situation for adolescent offenders to adopt manipulative strategies. Suggestions are made regarding future modus operandi studies.

The role of sexual interests and situational factors on rapists' modus operandi: Implications for offender profiling

Purpose. Although it has often been suggested that there is a direct relationship between an individuals sexual interests and behaviours exhibited during the crime they commit, few studies have investigated this question empirically. The purpose of the present study was thus to examine the role of sexual interests and situational factors as to their possible relationship to three components of rapists modus operandi: (a) the level of organization of the offence, (b) the level of force used by the offender, and (c) the level of injury inflicted on the victim during the sexual assault. n n n nMethods. This study is based on a sample of 118 offenders who sexually assaulted a female aged 16 or over. All participants were assessed phallometrically and through the CQSA, a computerized questionnaire. Data were analysed using multiple regression analyses. n n n nResults. Our findings showed links between sexual interests, situational factors, and rapists modus operandi. Firstly, individuals demonstrating a greater sexual interest in nonsexual violence showed a higher level of organization in the modus operandi. Secondly, alcohol consumption prior to the offence was related to a higher level of coercion. Finally, a negative emotional state prior to the crime was related to a high level of injury inflicted on the victim. n n n nConclusions. Despite the fact that several authors postulated a direct link between the offenders sexual interests and his behaviour at the crime scene, our results only partially support this hypothesis. Moreover, our results partly support the fact that crime scene behaviour is related to offenders personal characteristics, challenging an assumption of criminal profiling. We still believe that the modus operandi is related to offenders personal attributes. It is, however, dynamic and may fluctuate due to certain situational factors related to offenders and victims. Future studies should take into account situational factors related to offenders and their victims.

An Exploration of Developmental Factors Related to Deviant Sexual Preferences Among Adult Rapists

The aim of this study was to investigate developmental factors related to deviant sexual preferences in a sample of 118 sexual aggressors against women. For each subject, developmental factors were collected through a semistructured interview, whereas sexual preferences were assessed phallometrically using French translations of audiotaped stimuli developed by G. G. Abel, E. B. Blanchard, J. V Becker, and A. Djenderedjian (1978). Using multiple regression analyses, our results showed that a sexually inappropriate family environment, use of pornography during childhood and adolescence, and deviant sexual fantasies during childhood and adolescence are related to the development of deviant sexual preferences. These results are in agreement with Knight and Sims-Knights model of sexual aggression (R. A. Knight & J. E. Sims-Knight, in press).

Developmental Factors Related to Deviant Sexual Preferences in Child Molesters

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between developmental factors and deviant sexual preferences in child molesters. In total, 146 adult males having committed a sexual offence against a child were included in the study. Three types of factors were investigated: negative experiences during childhood, behavior problems during adolescence, and sexual criminal activity in adulthood. Negative experiences and behavior problems were assessed through a semistructured interview. The sexual criminal activity was determined using police records. Sexual preferences towards children were assessed using phallometric assessment. Hierarchical regression analyses suggested the presence of two developmental pathways. The psychosocial deficits pathway is related to a sexual interest for nonviolent sexual stimuli involving children. The sexualization pathway is associated with a sexual interest for violent sexual stimuli involving children. These two pathways are discussed in light of previous empirical findings related to the development of deviant sexual preferences in child molesters.

Criminal Propensity and Criminal Opportunity

Criminal profiling is an investigative tool that has attained unprecedented recognition despite a clear lack of empirical criminological evidence supporting its validity and assumptions. The ‘‘homology hypothesis’’ is one of these assumptions, and it postulates a direct relationship between crime scene characteristics and personal attributes of the offender. Few studies were able to test empirically such a relationship while taking into account opportunity factors. Thus, the aim of this study is to compare the role of both stable individual characteristics and opportunity factors in explaining crime scene behaviors of sexual aggressors of women. Sequential logistic regression analysis was performed on a sample of 187 adult males convicted of at least one sexual offense against a female of at least 16 years of age. The results revealed that opportunity factors were more important in explaining crime scene behaviors of sex offenders as compared with criminal propensity factors. Results are then discussed in light of the assumptions of criminal profiling and how they can be used in the criminal investigative process.