Michelle Ann Mcmanus

Child pornography and likelihood of contact abuse: a comparison between contact child sexual offenders and noncontact offenders

This study examined a sample of 120 adult males convicted of offences involving indecent images of children (IIOC); 60 had a previous contact child sexual offence (dual offenders) and 60 had no evidence of an offence against a child. Analyses explored socio-demographic characteristics, previous convictions, and access to children. Of the 120 offenders, a subsample of 60 offenders (30 dual offenders and 30 non-contact) were further examined in terms of the quantity of IIOC, types of IIOC, and offending behavior. The study found the two offender groups could be discriminated by previous convictions, access to children, the number, proportion, and type of IIOC viewed. The IIOC preferences displayed within their possession differentiated dual offenders from non-contact IIOC offenders. Within group comparisons of the dual offenders differentiated sadistic rapists from sexual penetrative and sexual touching offenders. The paper suggests there may be a homology between IIOC possession, victim selection, and offending behavior. Implications for law enforcement are discussed in terms of likelihood of contact offending and assisting in investigative prioritization.

Trends of indecent images of children and child sexual offences between 2005/2006 and 2012/2013 within the United Kingdom

Abstract Little is known about the trends of indecent images of children (IIOC) offences, as UK criminal justice figures are unavailable within official crime data. This study aims to explore the rates of conviction and the relationship between IIOC offences and child sexual abuse offences from 2005/2006 to 2012/2013. The results indicated a continuing increase in offences of take, permit, distribute IIOC, rape of a child under 13, sexual activity of child under 16 and abuse of children through prostitution or pornography. Six out of a possible 17 correlations were significant, with the strongest correlation found between take, make, distribute IIOC and rape of a female under 13. Explanations for the findings are discussed and the utility of comprehensive prevalence figures for different stakeholders involved in addressing this crime issue.

Factors associated with contact child sexual abuse in a sample of indecent image offenders

Abstract This study explored a sample of 244 UK adult male offenders convicted of offences involving indecent images of children (IIOC): 120 had a previous contact child sexual offence (defined as dual offenders) and 124 had no evidence of an offence against a child (defined as non-contact offenders). Offender groups were compared regarding their socio-demographic characteristics, previous convictions and IIOC possession. Key discriminatory factors that differentiated dual offenders were: access to children, previous offence history, sexual grooming and possession of IIOC that depicts similar-aged victims. In contrast, non-contact offenders could be identified from their greater amount and wider range of IIOC possession. The results suggest a homology between Internet behaviours, IIOC possession and victim selection. Implications for law enforcement agencies are discussed in terms of assisting investigative prioritisation by identifying those most at risk of committing sexual abuse against children.

Male-on-Male Sexual Assaults: An Analysis of Crime Scene Actions

While the concept of male victimization is not a new phenomenon, the sexual assault of a male is a relatively new notion, emerging over the last 30 years in social research literature. Studies of female rape, pedophilia, and juvenile sex offenders have suggested that different styles of offending are reflected in the different types of behaviors committed by offenders at the crime scene. These studies suggest that there are three distinct themes of behavior: Control, Hostility, and Involvement. Using the crime scene actions of 305 male-on-male sexual assault from a U.K. national police database, multidimensional analysis was carried out. The proposed framework was found to be a useful way of classifying male-on-male sexual assaulters with 74% displaying a dominant theme. These resulted in 42% classified as displaying hostility, 23% as control, and 9% as involvement. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Paraphilias: definition, diagnosis and treatment

There is a great deal of controversy concerning paraphilia, and defining what is normal versus deviant or disordered, given that this is to some degree dependent on cultural views of acceptability. In this article, we outline these issues and describe recent progress in diagnosing and treating paraphilias.

Female Sex Offenders An Analysis of Crime Scene Behaviors

The concept of the female sex offender (FSO) is a relatively new phenomenon within the social research literature. Studies of female rape, male rape, pedophilia, and juvenile sex offenders have suggested that different styles of offending are reflected in the different types of behaviors committed by offenders at the crime scene. These studies suggest that there are three distinct themes of behavior: Hostility, Impersonal, and Involvement. Multidimensional analysis is carried out on 35 crime scene behaviors of 73 FSOs from U.K. and U.S. law reports. The proposed framework was found to be a useful way of classifying FSOs with 84% displaying a dominant theme. These resulted in 52% classified as displaying Involvement, 17% as Control, and 15% as Hostility. Finally, the implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Influences and vulnerabilities in radicalised lone-actor terrorists UK practitioner perspectives.

The threat to national security from terrorists acting on their own initiative is a challenge for law enforcement and intelligence agencies in the UK and elsewhere. The UK Parliament’s 2014 threat assessment noted ‘a trend towards ‘low signature’ terrorism by small, self-directed groups and lone actors’ [House of Commons Home Affairs Committee (2014) Counter-Terrorism – Seventeenth Report of Session 2013–14]. Lone actors have become a higher priority for counter-terrorism professionals (UK police, Prevent practitioners and security agencies), but there is a paucity of research into the views and awareness of these professionals. This qualitative study examined how Prevent practitioners perceived the radicalisation and motivations of lone-actor terrorists they had encountered. Participants were an opportunity sample of five Prevent practitioners; all had served as police officers with varying employment backgrounds and counter-terrorism experience. A thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews identified perceived general characteristics of lone-actor radicalisation. Three themes clustering around the concept of becoming a terrorist are discussed: mechanisms of radicalisation, vulnerability to radical discourse, and individual motivation. Participants construed radicalisation as a process over time, accelerated in the presence of generalised criminality or extensive Internet use. Vulnerability was seen as inherent, as well as a product of social context. Participants adopted folk-psychological explanations with mental health problems, social isolation and relative deprivation cited as prominent vulnerability factors. Lone actors were seen as motivated by grievances (e.g. deprivation), pressure from external sources (e.g. rational prospectors) or personal reward (e.g. sensation-seeking). Practitioners’ perceptions of the process over time had parallels with a diathesis–stress model, although there was some support for social movement theory.

Calls for police service Understanding the demand profile and the UK police response

In times of austerity and police budget cuts, it is important to understand the demand on the UK police service in order to reduce it effectively. This paper reviews the demand on a division within a police service in England over the period of a year. Utilising police data records, it combined descriptive statistics with content analysis to identify areas of demand. Findings revealed that the majority of the Constabulary’s resources were spent addressing non-traditional police demand. Results indicate that the police could potentially reduce demand for service by enhancing work within two key areas: partnership working and early intervention.

Assisting the Investigation of Stranger Rapes: Predicting the Criminal Record of U.K. Stranger Rapists From Their Crime Scene Behaviors:

Davies, Wittebrood, and Jackson (1997) were among the first to investigate whether offense behaviors are predictive of criminal history, with the findings of their paper then utilized by the National Crime Agency (NCA) Behavioral Investigative Advisors (BIAs) when assisting rape investigations. The aim of the study was to replicate this seminal paper with a larger contemporary sample of U.K. stranger rapists as identified by NCA. Data from 474 adult male stranger rapists were obtained in relation to 22 crime scene behaviors and nine preconviction variables. Results indicated significant differences between the Davies et al. original data set and this contemporary data set in both the behaviors and the preconvictions they displayed. The contemporary sample was significantly less likely to use sighting precautions, use violence, and take fingerprint precautions. This sample was also significantly less likely to have any of the preconviction crime types, with the exception of drugs offenses. When exploring the current data set of stranger rapists, statistical analyses indicated a number of key offense behaviors that were able to predict the criminal history of stranger rapists. However, contrary to previous research, no behaviors were found to be associated with sexual offense preconvictions. The results highlight that behaviors and characteristics of stranger sex offenders have changed since the 1990s. The implications for practice are discussed.

Internet Facilitated Rape: A Multivariate Model of Offense Behavior

Recent statistics report a significant increase in individuals reporting they have been raped by a stranger whom they have met through the Internet (Internet facilitated rape [IFR]). Previous literature has primarily focused on child victims; hence, the overriding aim of this study is to further our understanding of IFR in terms of crime scene behavior. One hundred forty-four IFR cases and two comparative samples of age-matched stranger rapists (confidence approach and surprise approach) were coded for 38 crime scene behaviors. Findings suggest that the platforms IFR offenders use to meet their victims were not suggestive of the behavior they were likely to display. In terms of specific offense behaviors, the IFR and confidence approach rapists were considerably similar and both samples were comparatively different from the surprise approach rapists. Thus, this may indicate that the method of approach used by a stranger rapist has a significant effect on the subsequent rape crime scene behavior displayed regardless of any prior contact. A smallest space analysis of the IFR sample revealed three distinct themes of behavior, criminal sophistication, interpersonal involvement, and violence with 71% of offenders displaying one dominant theme. The practical and theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.