Judith V. Becker

Self-Reported Sex Crimes of Nonincarcerated Paraphiliacs

This article will present data gathered by the authors through structured clinical interviews of 561 paraphiliacs regarding demographic characteristics, frequency and variety of deviant sexual acts, and number and characteristics of victims. Results show that nonincarcerated sex offenders (1) are well educated and socioeconomically diverse; (2) report an average number of crimes and victims that is substantially higher than that represented in the current literature; and (3) sexually molest young boys with an incidence that is five times greater than the molestation of young girls. The relevance of these findings is discussed.

Complications, consent, and cognitions in sex between children and adults

Sexual activities between children and adults are relatively common occurrences. Approximately one in four college-aged females in the United States report having had a sexual experience with an adult while they were children (Finkelhor, 1979a). Child-adult sex offenses frequently come before the court and few crimes elicit such strong emotional reactions from all concerned (the child, the child’s family, the offender, the criminal justice system, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and defense and prosecuting attorneys). Part of this emotional reaction to child-adult sexual activities stems from the polarization of opinion as to the quality and quantity of harmful effects that such activities may have on the child. Some expert witnesses refer to severe complications while others suggest that complications to the child are infrequent and usually result from the responses of those around the child (parents, the criminal justice system, etc.). Often, in the heat of legal process, it is difficult to evaluate clearly the consequences of such activities on the child because of the polemic position of the opposing counsel. There is also the issue of consent. Is it possible for a pre-pubertal or postpubertal child to give consent to participate in sexual activities with an adult? Again, in the courtroom, polemic positions are taken by the opposing counsels that a child is or is not able to give informed consent for sexual activities with an adult. Unfortunately there is minimal discussion of what the criteria are for informed consent and whether a child can meet such criteria. A final area of concern, for those who work with the offender, are the attitudes or beliefs held by the offender regarding his sexual activities with children. As members of the criminal justice system, legal system, psychiatric or psychological services interact with the offenders, they find that some have an entire set of beliefs that they feel justify sex between a child and an adult.

The Measurment of the Cognitive Distortions of Child Molesters

Two hundred and forty child molester paraphiliacs, 48 non-child molesting paraphiliacs and 86 non-paraphiliacs were administered a 29 item Likert scale of statements designed to determine: 1) if cognitive distortions concerning child molestation exist among child molesters and (2) if child molesters can be discriminated from non-child molesters by assessing their cognitive distortions. Factor analysis yielded six factors covering the general area of child molestation being harmful to the child. The factors were reliable and successfully separated child molesters from non-child molesters. Results confirmed that child molesters not only vary from non-child molesters by their behavior with children, but also by their cognitions or beliefs about the consequence of their child molestation behavior on the child.

Juvenile Sex Offenders: Toward the Development of a Typology:

Adolescent males who sexually offended against prepubescent children were contrasted with those who targeted pubescent and postpubescent females. As hypothesized, path analyses revealed that the former group had greater deficits in psychosocial functioning, used less aggression in their sexual offending, and were more likely to offend against relatives. Theorized relationships between developmental risk factors, personality mediators, and sexual and nonsexual offense characteristics were assessed in both groups of juvenile sex offenders. Deficits in psychosocialfunctioning were found to mediate the influence of childhood exposure to violence against females on adolescent perpetration of sexual and nonsexual offenses. Additional univariate analyses were conducted to further explore some associations among early risk factors, personality mediators, and outcomes. Childhood physical abuse by a father or stepfather and exposure to violence against females were found to be associated with higher levels of comorbid anxiety and depression. Noncoercive childhood sexual victimization by a male nonrelative was found to be associated with sexual offending against a male child. Clinical and theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.

Differentiating Sexual Aggressives With Penile Measures

Evaluating how a client is doing in therapy is a problem faced by all therapists. This is an especially important issue when the client is a rapist or child molester, since not knowing that his control is poor or that he has failed to respond to treatment may jeopardize the safety of others. Therapists have traditionally relied on the clients self-report to evaluate how he is doing. This traditional method of assessment in some cases is quite efficient and provides the therapist with extensive details that assist in outlining further treatment plans for the offender. In working with sexual deviates, however, it is quite apparent that in many cases this self-report is totally unreliable. As a consequence, the therapist must rely on other methods to assess his clients progress. For a number of years, penile transducer measures have been used to assess the sexual arousal of various sexual deviates. This is accomplished by the use of a small penile transducer which encircles the penis and records erection responses during the presentation of various sexual stimuli. In recent years, this method has been applied to the assessment of child molesters and sexual aggressives. Abel, Blanchard, Becker, and Djenderedjian summarize their recent work on the use of penile transducers with child molesters and rapists. The correlation of such measures with the sexual aggressives history of sexual aggressive behavior, the frequency of that behavior, the likelihood of excessive force being used during the commission of a sexual assault, the likelihood of the client being a sadomasochist, and age of the aggressives preferred victim is discussed. Preliminary data indicate that these physiologic measures have tremendous potential for assisting the therapist in assessing not only the treatment needs of the sexual aggressive, but also his response (or failure to respond) to treatment.

Adolescent Sexual Offenders Demographics, Criminal and Sexual Histories, and Recommendations for Reducing Future Offenses

Sexual aggression is a serious and widespread problem in our society. Over the past 15 years considerable effort has been directed toward educating society about the problem and addressing the needs of victims of sexual crimes. Research efforts have focused on both adult and child victims and to a lesser extent on adult sexual offenders. Only recently have any research efforts focused on adolescent offenders. The present study describes the characteristics of 67 male adolescents referred to an outpatient clinic because of deviant sexual behavior. The results of this study indicate that the onset of sexually deviant interests is often in early adolescence and that an effective early treatment could reduce the widespread incidence of sexual crimes and prevent future victimization in our society.

What We Know About the Characteristics and Treatment of Adolescents Who have Committed Sexual Offenses

This review examines recent empirical research literature on several aspects of adolescents who commit sexual offenses and their treatment. Presumed etiologies for the behavior are examined, along with research into personal characteristics, comparisons with non-offending groups, psychological, family, and behavioral characteristics, comorbid psychiatric conditions and arousal patterns. Outcomes following treatment are briefly reviewed. Although it is clear that considerable information has been gathered regarding male adolescent sexual offenders and limited information is available regarding female adolescent sexual offenders, many critical questions remain unanswered. The review concludes with suggestions for future research.

Characteristics of adolescent incest sexual perpetrators: Preliminary findings

Adolescent incest sexual perpetrators seen at an out-patient clinic were interviewed regarding demographic characteristics and occurrence of deviant and nondeviant sexual behaviors. Results indicate that subjects (1) committed more sexual crimes than they had been arrested for, (2) reported a very early onset of sexual behavior, (3) had additional DSM-III psychiatric disorders, and (4) reported previous sexual victimization. Recommendations for future research are made.

Psychiatric Diagnoses in Adolescent Sex Offenders

Abstract Crime statistics indicate that a high percentage of rapes and child molestations are committed by sexual perpetrators under the age of 18. To determine the psychiatric characteristics of this population, 58 outpatient male adolescent sex offenders were interviewed with structured instruments. Conduct Disorder was the most common diagnosis, while rates of other disorders were much lower than in earlier studies. Implications of these findings for future research in the evaluation and treatment of adolescent sex offenders are discussed.

Incidence and types of sexual dysfunctions in rape and incest victims

Many authors have commented on the impact of sexual assault on the sexual lives of the victims. Eighty-three victims were interviewed with regard to their sexual histories, and completed the Sexual Arousal Inventory, to determine the incidence and types of sexual dysfunctions in rape and incest victims: 56% of these victims experienced sexual dysfunctions postassault; 71% of these subjects reported that the sexual assault precipitated the dysfunction. Fear of sex, arousal or desire dysfunctions were the most common sexual problems presented within this victim sample. The Sexual Arousal Inventory was not successful in discriminating dysfunctional and nondysfunctional rape and incest victims.