Psychological traumas surface in Paula Vogel’s portrayal of Li’l Bit and Uncle Peck in How I Learned to Drive (1997). Theorizing Peck’s fixation on Li’l Bit is necessitated by his drive to recapture his innocence—an innocence he lost as a young man during WWII—this thesis will seek to explain how Drive can be viewed as a love story by revealing the motivations behind Li’l Bit’s sympathy for Uncle Peck. Recognizing war trauma as the fundamental catalyst for both the action and the tone of the play situates Drive in a territory not yet explored. Furthermore, this thesis will explore the dubious relationship between war-traumatized veterans and pedophilic tendencies by examining this theme in other literature, particularly, J.D. Salinger’s “For Esmé—with Love and Squalor” (1950) and Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita (1955), thus, placing Drive at the nexus in which American drama and war literature coalesce.

Research on the factors underlying sex offender recidivism has not considered the importance of the reintegration process through which the offender rejoins the community after prison. This thesis reports findings from 3 empirical studies designed to explore whether poor release planning might contribute to sex offender recidivism. In Study 1, a coding protocol was developed to measure the comprehensiveness of release planning for child molesters, which included items relating to accommodation, employment, pro-social support, community-based treatment, and Good Lives Model (T. Ward & C.A. Stewart, 2003) secondary goods. The protocol was retrospectively applied to groups of recidivist and nonrecidivist graduates of a prison-based treatment programme, who were matched on static risk level and time since release. As predicted, overall release planning was significantly poorer for recidivists compared to nonrecidivists. Study 2 was a validation and extension of Study 1. The original coding protocol, and some revised items, were applied to matched groups of recidivists and nonrecidivists from a different treatment programme. Consistent with Study 1 findings, overall release planning was significantly poorer for recidivists. Data from Studies 1 and 2 were pooled (total N = 141) and Cox regressions showed that accommodation, employment, and social support planning combined to best predict recidivism, with predictive accuracy comparable to that obtained using static risk models. Study 3 investigated whether release planning was associated with actual reintegration experiences, and additionally explored released child molesters’ good lives plans. Release plans were rated for 16 child molesters, who were interviewed post-release about their reintegration experiences and good lives plans. As predicted, significant positive correlations were found between release planning and reintegration experiences 1 and 3 months following prison release, and results suggested that effective reintegration might help facilitate living a good life. Overall, results from the 3 studies suggest that poor release planning and subsequent reintegration experiences contribute to sex offender recidivism. Implications for researchers, clinicians, policy makers, and community members are discussed.

Esta tese empreende uma análise genealógica das estratégias narrativas presentes no processo de criminalização da pedofilia no Brasil. O principal foco de análise foi a produção discursiva do judiciário e da psiquiatria que constitui objetividades sobre a pedofilia e busca definir o sujeito pedófilo. Para realizar esta pesquisa, foram analisadas diversas fontes de conhecimento que formam os discursos sobre a pedofilia no Brasil e em outros países , tais como textos históricos e teóricos das ciências humanas, uma bibliografia especializada sobre o assunto, manuais prescritivos de ações de combate ao abuso sexual infantil, legislações, e a jurisprudência disponível no Tribunal de Justiça de São Paulo (TJSP). Visando realizar uma história crítica do presente, foram ainda problematizadas as representações sobre a criança e o sexo, os pânicos morais em torno das sexualidades dissidentes e a fabricação de subjetividades contemporâneas. / This dissertation undertakes a genealogical analysis of the narrative strategies present in the criminalization process of pedophilia in Brazil. The primary focus of analysis was the discursive production of the judiciary and psychiatry, which creates objectivity about pedophilia and defines the subject pedophile. To accomplish this research, I analyzed the various sources of knowledge that form the discourses on pedophilia in Brazil and other countries such as historical and theoretical texts of human sciences, the specialized literature on the topic pedophilia, prescriptive manuals to prevent child sexual abuse, the legislations, and the jurisprudence available at the São Paulo Justice Court (TJSP). In order to achieve a critical history of the present, I also problematized representations about children and sex, the moral panics around dissident sexualities, and the construction of contemporary subjectivities.

Esta tese empreende uma análise genealógica das estratégias narrativas presentes no processo de criminalização da pedofilia no Brasil. O principal foco de análise foi a produção discursiva do judiciário e da psiquiatria que constitui objetividades sobre a pedofilia e busca definir o sujeito pedófilo. Para realizar esta pesquisa, foram analisadas diversas fontes de conhecimento que formam os discursos sobre a pedofilia no Brasil e em outros países , tais como textos históricos e teóricos das ciências humanas, uma bibliografia especializada sobre o assunto, manuais prescritivos de ações de combate ao abuso sexual infantil, legislações, e a jurisprudência disponível no Tribunal de Justiça de São Paulo (TJSP). Visando realizar uma história crítica do presente, foram ainda problematizadas as representações sobre a criança e o sexo, os pânicos morais em torno das sexualidades dissidentes e a fabricação de subjetividades contemporâneas. / This dissertation undertakes a genealogical analysis of the narrative strategies present in the criminalization process of pedophilia in Brazil. The primary focus of analysis was the discursive production of the judiciary and psychiatry, which creates objectivity about pedophilia and defines the subject pedophile. To accomplish this research, I analyzed the various sources of knowledge that form the discourses on pedophilia in Brazil and other countries such as historical and theoretical texts of human sciences, the specialized literature on the topic pedophilia, prescriptive manuals to prevent child sexual abuse, the legislations, and the jurisprudence available at the São Paulo Justice Court (TJSP). In order to achieve a critical history of the present, I also problematized representations about children and sex, the moral panics around dissident sexualities, and the construction of contemporary subjectivities.

La pédophilie a valeur de monstruosité dans les sociétés occidentales actuelles. Son évocation suscite dans la population des mouvements émotionnels importants d’incompréhension, d’opprobre et de rejet. Pour autant, les révélations régulières dans les médias et la meilleure prise en compte des victimes depuis les années quatre-vingt-dix donnent un aperçu de l’ampleur du phénomène et en font un véritable sujet de société. Dans ce contexte, la prise en charge psychothérapeutique de patients pédophiles représente un véritable défi pour les professionnels, tant elle soulève des questions théoriques, techniques et éthiques. Il convient de tenter de mieux cerner la pédophilie dans sa dimension historique et de la définir au niveau juridique, psychiatrique, psychopathologique. La théorie psychanalytique offre des pistes de compréhension des enjeux internes susceptibles de conduire à l’agir pédophile. Ainsi, l’emploi de mécanismes psychiques archaïques, voire le recours à l’acte, fonctionnent comme des tentatives de survie psychique face à une situation extrême de danger ressenti comme imminent. Une telle économie est révélatrice d’une éclipse de la subjectivité. Les dispositifs de prise en charge psychothérapeutiques doivent être élaborés en tenant compte du fonctionnement psychique de ces patients, de la sauvegarde de la capacité du thérapeute, et visent la subjectivation du patient. Cinq vignettes cliniques, tirés d’une pratique de psychologue travaillant en milieu carcéral et dans une consultation ambulatoire spécialisée, viennent illustrer et enrichir les concepts théoriques. / Pedophilia is a monstrosity in today's Western societies. His evocation provokes in the population important emotional movements of incomprehension, opprobrium and rejection. However, regular revelations in the media and better consideration of victims since the nineties provide insight into the extent of the phenomenon and make it a real social issue.In this context, the psychotherapeutic care of pedophile patients represents a real challenge for professionals, as it raises theoretical, technical and ethical questions.We must try to better understand pedophilia in its historical dimension and define it at the legal, psychiatric, psychopathological level. The psychoanalytic theory offers ways of understanding the internal issues likely to lead to pedophile action. Thus, the use of archaic psychic mechanisms, even the resort to the act, function as attempts of psychic survival in the face of an extreme situation of danger felt as imminent. Such an economy is indicative of an eclipse of subjectivity.Psychotherapeutic management systems must be developed taking into account the psychic functioning of these patients, the safeguarding of the therapist's capacity, and aim at the subjectivisation of the patient.Five clinical vignettes, drawn from a practice of psychologist working in a prison environment and in a specialized outpatient clinic, illustrate and enrich the theoretical concepts.

During the past decade, significant public concern has focused on the use of the Internet to access child pornography and other legally objectionable material. Media reference to individuals involved in such activity typically portrays them as socially isolated ‘paedophiles’, ‘perverts’ and ‘sexual predators’ whose offence behaviour is encouraged by on-line associations with others who share their interest in this material. Although academic literature does not tend to adhere to the sensationalism of these views, it too suggests that on-line networks may be important in understanding the behaviour of individuals who seek to gratify an interest in legally objectionable material.A major aim of this thesis was to examine the relationship between involvement in Internet based social activity and involvement in accessing legally objectionable material via the Internet. As such, data collected during the investigation of a sample of 145 individuals identified as using the Internet to access legally objectionable material was subjected to a series of explorative analyses. These analyses revealed significant associations between individuals’ use of Internet applications facilitating directed, two way communication (eg. Email and ICQ) during the process of accessing legally objectionable material and indicators of increased personal investment in offence related activities.A second goal of this thesis was to identify variables associated with offenders’ decisions to engage in on-line social interaction during the process of accessing legally objectionable material. In turn, criminological and communications theory and research pertaining to the interpersonal behaviours that individuals engage in during criminal actions, and the characteristics of individuals who make use of socially facilitative Internet applications, was reviewed. Based on the findings of this review, it was hypothesised that offenders who engage in regular interaction with others outside of the Internet environment would be more likely than those who did not to seek out opportunities for interaction in the Internet environment. In line with this hypothesis, further systematic and detailed analysis of the data revealed an association between opportunities for interpersonal interaction in an offender’s home or work environment and the likelihood that offenders would make use of Internet applications facilitating online social interaction.

During the past decade, significant public concern has focused on the use of the Internet to access child pornography and other legally objectionable material. Media reference to individuals involved in such activity typically portrays them as socially isolated ‘paedophiles’, ‘perverts’ and ‘sexual predators’ whose offence behaviour is encouraged by on-line associations with others who share their interest in this material. Although academic literature does not tend to adhere to the sensationalism of these views, it too suggests that on-line networks may be important in understanding the behaviour of individuals who seek to gratify an interest in legally objectionable material.A major aim of this thesis was to examine the relationship between involvement in Internet based social activity and involvement in accessing legally objectionable material via the Internet. As such, data collected during the investigation of a sample of 145 individuals identified as using the Internet to access legally objectionable material was subjected to a series of explorative analyses. These analyses revealed significant associations between individuals’ use of Internet applications facilitating directed, two way communication (eg. Email and ICQ) during the process of accessing legally objectionable material and indicators of increased personal investment in offence related activities.A second goal of this thesis was to identify variables associated with offenders’ decisions to engage in on-line social interaction during the process of accessing legally objectionable material. In turn, criminological and communications theory and research pertaining to the interpersonal behaviours that individuals engage in during criminal actions, and the characteristics of individuals who make use of socially facilitative Internet applications, was reviewed. Based on the findings of this review, it was hypothesised that offenders who engage in regular interaction with others outside of the Internet environment would be more likely than those who did not to seek out opportunities for interaction in the Internet environment. In line with this hypothesis, further systematic and detailed analysis of the data revealed an association between opportunities for interpersonal interaction in an offender’s home or work environment and the likelihood that offenders would make use of Internet applications facilitating online social interaction.

Research on the factors underlying sex offender recidivism has not considered the importance of the reintegration process through which the offender rejoins the community after prison. This thesis reports findings from 3 empirical studies designed to explore whether poor release planning might contribute to sex offender recidivism. In Study 1, a coding protocol was developed to measure the comprehensiveness of release planning for child molesters, which included items relating to accommodation, employment, pro-social support, community-based treatment, and Good Lives Model (T. Ward & C.A. Stewart, 2003) secondary goods. The protocol was retrospectively applied to groups of recidivist and nonrecidivist graduates of a prison-based treatment programme, who were matched on static risk level and time since release. As predicted, overall release planning was significantly poorer for recidivists compared to nonrecidivists. Study 2 was a validation and extension of Study 1. The original coding protocol, and some revised items, were applied to matched groups of recidivists and nonrecidivists from a different treatment programme. Consistent with Study 1 findings, overall release planning was significantly poorer for recidivists. Data from Studies 1 and 2 were pooled (total N = 141) and Cox regressions showed that accommodation, employment, and social support planning combined to best predict recidivism, with predictive accuracy comparable to that obtained using static risk models. Study 3 investigated whether release planning was associated with actual reintegration experiences, and additionally explored released child molesters’ good lives plans. Release plans were rated for 16 child molesters, who were interviewed post-release about their reintegration experiences and good lives plans. As predicted, significant positive correlations were found between release planning and reintegration experiences 1 and 3 months following prison release, and results suggested that effective reintegration might help facilitate living a good life. Overall, results from the 3 studies suggest that poor release planning and subsequent reintegration experiences contribute to sex offender recidivism. Implications for researchers, clinicians, policy makers, and community members are discussed.

The contemporary conflation of pedophiles and child sex offenders is a prevalent aspect of reporting in news and social media, as well as in government-sponsored efforts to prevent child sexual victimization. Throughout twentieth century Canada, however, legal experts, psychologists and psychiatrists, and social activists were recognizing the harmfulness of grouping individuals who may have a propensity to commit crime with those who have committed the most heinous of criminal acts. As early as 1938, Canadian legal experts suggested that criminal insanity was a myth, advocating for a divergence between legal punishment and psychiatric healthcare, but after World War 2 had enacted serious efforts targeting criminal sexual psychopathy. Successive Royal Commissions investigating sexual victimization and child abuse revealed that Canadian courts, jails, prisons, and remand services were unable to solely deal with the realities of child sexual victimization. Psychologists and psychiatrists of the American Psychological Association increasingly researched sex and sexuality, classifying pedophilia as a paraphilia using child sexual victimization as a diagnostic indicator and criterion. Gay liberation activists discussed inequalities posed between hetero- and homosexual ages of consent and, more rarely, thought about the total abolition of age of consent. Each of these discourses firmly advocated for a separation between thought and action, recognizing the pedophiles who had not and would not harm children. The historical roots of the conflation of pedophiles and child sex offenders makes an important contribution to understanding contemporary discourses on criminality, victimology, sexology, and sociology, and to the development of efforts which can more successfully reduce child sexual victimization.

Pedophilia is one of the most misunderstood mental disorders in contemporary society. The aim of this thesis is to analyse the discriminatory behaviour against people with a pedophilic disorder by the public at large, the media and current legislations; in the case of the US, the UK and Germany. The political and legal theory of Giorgio Agamben, particularly the concept of homo sacer, will be applied to this thesis, because it can serve as a theoretical foundation for understanding different aspects of the control and treatment of pedophiles as a form of punishment and discrimination. The results of the thesis show that the public and the media tend to confuse the diagnostic term of pedophilia and the legal term of child molestation, falsely assuming that all pedophiles sexually abuse children. The implemented ’anti-pedophile’ laws, oftentimes promoted by the media, can be seen as disproportionate and unfounded, resulting in discriminatory behaviour against pedophiles and the violation of human rights.