Transcript Nature and Scope of Sexual Offending

Nature and Scope of Sexual
Offending
Randy Shively, Ph.D.
Director of Research and Clinical Development
Alvis, Columbus, Ohio
Sex Offender Characteristics
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Needy; Immature
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Manipulative; Secretive
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Controlling; Domineering
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Poor Social Skills; Sexualize Relationships
Sex Offender Characteristics
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Shame for Offense; Not want to discuss
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Blame others and system for being at AH
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Broken family relationships
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Violence and Domestic Violence
Sex Offender Characteristics
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Poor communication and relationship skills
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Very poor self esteem- feels insignificant
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Untreated mental health issues
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Anger directed at Staff and System
Sex Offender Facts
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Percentage of Sex Offenders who will commit another
sex offense- 2.7%
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Percentage of Sex Offenders who will commit another
crime- 70%

Percentage of sexual offenses that occur while living in
a supervised setting- 60%
NCMEC, 2013

It is estimated that 60% of sexual assaults are not
reported to the police

Approximately 2/3 of rapes were committed by
someone known to the victim

38% of rapists are a friend or acquaintance
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28% of rapists are intimate partners.
Victims of Sex Offenders Incarcerated in
Ohio
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79% 17 years old or younger
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56% 12 years old or younger
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87% female
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85% knew the offender
Misunderstanding of the Issues

Sex Offending is a very misunderstood area for most of
the public- it is not often repeated as other crimes;

Many of the sex offender rules do not protect the
public- they places barriers for the sex offender
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Most sex offenses do not happen with strangers but
people well known to the victims
Proportionally More Sex Offenses
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Higher proportion of sex offenses with DD population
among all types of offenses when compared to the nonDD offender population
Why? Why? Why?
Why more sex offenses?
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Fewer dating opportunities
Belief in ID world that those with cognitive delays
are asexual
Less tolerance of sexual deviance in community
Poor social skills-poor decision making
All sex offenders
5 years 10
years
14%
20%
15
years
24%
Rapists
14%
21%
24%
9%
“Girl Victim” Child
Molesters
“Boy Victim” Child Molesters 23%
13%
16%
28%
35%
Over 50 years old at release
7%
11%
12%
Under 50 years old at release
15%
21%
26%
Harris and Hanson (2004)
RNR Model in Corrections-All Offenders

Risk- Who do we need to target for treatment- target moderate to
high risk offender
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Needs- What dynamic life areas relate to recidivism and which can be
altered through active programs, ie. substance abuse

Responsivity- How? Individual differences in clients which need to be
considered when presenting programs (ie. Motivation, ID, mental
health)
Ohio Risk Assessment System- ORAS
Risk Areas to Recidivate
Family/Marital
Accommodation
Companions
Alcohol/Drug Problems
Emotional/Personal
Antisocial/Criminal Attitudes
RISK FACTORS-SEX
OFFENDING
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Prior sex offenses
Diverse sex crimes
Deviant sexual interest
Sexual preoccupation
Antisocial orientation/psychopathy
Victim characteristics (male, stranger, unrelated)
History of rule violations (non-compliance with
supervision, violation of conditional release)
Attitudes tolerant of sex crimes
Emotional identification with children
Conflicts with intimate partners or lack of intimate partner
Psychopathy and deviance combined
Non-DD Sex Offenders - Typology
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Rapists/Violence
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Pedophiles/Child Victims
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Immature/Date Rape
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Pornography Violations-importuning/downloading
underage
DD Sex Offenders in Treatment
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Underage victims- Pedophilia and poor
discrimination of age
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Impulsive in general- violate rules and people
impulsively
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Anger/control/rape- retaliation or control of others
drives their offending
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Pornography- internet violations
CROSSOVER
There are no pure categories within
sexual offending categories alone.
Colorado study:
25.7% assaulted both genders
50% crossed over juvenile/adult
Subtypes of Paraphilias
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Exhibitionism
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Fetishism
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Froteurism
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Pedophilia
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Sexual Sadism/ Masochism
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Voyeurism
Deviance or Disability?

Are the behaviors being assess representative of a
sexual pathology (paraphilia) or are they symptomatic
of environmental factors and/or poor understanding of
sexual situations and social consequences?
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Labeling someone sexually deviant can be a life
sentence!
Assessing Paraphilias: Questions
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Is the behavior (problems) part of a preferred sexual
pattern?
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Are the behaviors present when there is no active
mental health disorder?
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Is the behavior(s) part of a recurrent pattern?
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Was the onset earlier in life?
ID Specific Risk Areas
ID Specific Risk Factors in Literature:
Lack social skills
History of Delinquency
Impulsive
Low Self Esteem
Substance Abuse
Poor Response to
treatment
Phenix and Screenivasan ,2009
ID Specific Risk Areas
ID Risk Issues:
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Psychiatric History
Unemployment
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Sexual Deviance
Antisocial Attitudes
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History of Delinquency
Susceptible to
others influence
Phenix and Screenivasan, 2009
Coming to Treatment
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Usually partial to total denial of sexual offense- roll
with resistance (MI model)
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Usually referred for treatment out of court mandate or
program mandate- forced choice
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A lot of thinking errors and social behavior problems
related to offense
Society Believes Most Sex Offenders are
Molesters of Children- Untrue
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Small Percentage- 20% or less of DD sex offenders
Pedophiles are not to be trusted around children- they say they can
not trust themselves
Need life long accountability and counseling
There are two basic categories of child molesters:
 The
first is the situational molester whose
sexual preference is not solely children.
 He
perceives himself as entitled to sex and
is likely to have a history of varied crimes.
 He
may abuse other vulnerable populations,
e.g., elderly, sick, developmentally
disabled.
 He
frequently offends readily available
children to whom he has easy access.
The second category is the preferential molester.
 This
child molester has definite sexual
inclinations toward children, with sexual
fantasies and imagery focusing on children.
 He has sex with children because of the sexual
attraction and arousal.
 The problem is not only the nature of the
sexual attraction, but also the need to have
repeated and frequent sex.
 The preferential molester has the potential to
abuse large numbers of victims.
Know Your Client- Best Risk Protection
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What motivates him/her?
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Do they know they have a problem related to risk?
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What are their blind spots?
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What are their strengths/needs? How can you build off
their strengths?
Contact Information
Randy Shively, Ph.D.- Alvis
[email protected]
References

Seligman, L. 1998. Selecting effective treatments: A comprehensive guide to
treating mental disorders. Jossey-Bass, Inc.: San Francisco, CA.

Quinsey, V., Harris, G., Rice, M., and Cormier, C. 1998. Violent offenders:
Appraising and managing risk. American Psychological Association: Washington,
DC.

Center for Sex Offender Management. 2000. Myths and facts about sex offenders.
(csom.org/pubs/mythsfacts)
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Harris, J., and Hanson, RK. 2004. Sex offender recidivism: A simple question.
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness: Canada.(www.psepc-sppcc.gc.ca)
References, Cont’d
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Heil, P., Ahlmeyer, S., and Simons, D. 2003. Crossover
sexual offenses. A Journal of Research and Treatment, vol
15(4).

US Dept of Justice. Full report of the prevalence,
incidence and consequences of violence against women.
(ojp.usdoj.gov/nij).

Dornin, C. 2010. Facts and fiction about sex offenders.
University of Cincinnati.
(corrections.com/news/article/24500-facts-and-fictionabout-sex-offenders).
References- cont’d

National Association for the Dually Diagnosed. 2007. Diagnostic
manual- intellectual disability: A clinical guide for the diagnosis of
mental disorders in persons with intellectual disability. Kingston,
NY.

Griffiths, D. and Lunsky, Y. (2003). Socio-sexual Knowledge and
Attitudes Assessment Tool-Revised. Wood Dale, Illinois: Stoelting Co.

Boer et al. (2012). Assessment of Risk and Manageabilty of
Individuals with Developmental and Intellectual Limitations who
Sexually Offend (ARMIDILO-S).