Despite a substantial expanse of literature addressing male sexual offending, the phenomenon of female sexual offending has only recently garnered empirical attention. While research remains nascent in nature, considerable advances have been made in the study of demographics, criminal characteristics, and typologies of female sexual offenders (FSOs). Similarities and differences between male and female sexual offenders have been the source of much speculation; however, hypotheses arising from this speculation have rarely been subjected to empirical scrutiny. Similarly, there has been limited examination of intra-group differences among FSOs. While myriad actuarial assessments have been developed for use with male offenders, similar measures for female offenders are practically non-existent. One notable exception is the Multiphasic Sex Inventory II (MSI II), an instrument with both male and female forms. The present study analyzed, compared, and contrasted the MSI II protocols of 300 male and female adult sex offenders.

Clinician attitudes toward a client have a significant influence on outcomes for that client's treatment. Exploring the attitudes of clinicians toward sex offenders can provide additional insights into methods to improve treatments for this population. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to examine the attitudes of clinical professionals who work with sex offenders to identify the specific ways that these attitudes influenced professional behaviors and client interactions. Grounded theory was used to move beyond a general description of the issue to formulate a theory regarding clinician work with sex offenders and its implications. The sample comprised 10 clinical professionals who worked with sex offenders in community mental health agencies. Open coding and axial coding were used to generate themes from in-depth semistructured interviews to collect data from clinicians who treated sex offenders. Findings indicated that the professionals were mostly concerned for the behavior of sex offenders, were willing to work with them despite feelings of anger and disgust and were curious about the possibility of treatment. Participants treated sex offenders like any other clients but emphasized the importance of safety during treatment. Participants balanced their obligations to the profession and the client with negative images and views of sex offenders. These professionals struggled when providing treatment to sex offenders but described strategies for coping or overcoming negative feelings, emotions, and biases. Clinicians can use these findings to deliver better planned care to this population, resulting in better therapeutic outcomes for sex offenders.

Burnout affects mental health workers both personally and professionally. Identifying variables that lead to burnout, such as poor coping skills, may assist organization in preventing burnout among mental health workers. Most researchers studying burnout in the mental health field have focused on human service workers in general. There is a gap in the literature concerning job burnout among counselors of sex offenders. The theory of cognitive appraisal and coping was the theoretical foundation for this study. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine whether problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping, genders, years of experience, and caseload size predict job burnout in counselors who treat sex offenders. Surveys containing items from the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the COPE Inventory along with demographic questions were distributed to counselors of sex offenders who were members of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers. Data from 86 complete questionnaires were analyzed using simple linear regression and analysis of variance. Caseload size was found to be a statistically significant predictor of the depersonalization aspect of burnout. It, however, was not statistically significant predictor of emotional exhaustion and reduced personal accomplishment. In addition, coping, gender, and years of experience were not significant predictors of burnout. The findings have the potential of stimulating positive social change by making treatment providers more aware of the factors that contribute to burnout among counselors of sex offenders. If providers give these counselors a more manageable caseload, they may be able to reduce their burnout, leading to a higher quality of care for offenders and improved well-being for counselors.

No description available.

This study was an observation of the public's knowledge and perceptions on sex offenders, sex offenses, and sex offender management policies. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 282 students at East Tennessee State University. Along with the basic demographic variables, respondent's field of study was measured as a main independent variable. For example, it was hypothesized that students studying within the criminal justice field would hold more accurate beliefs concerning the sex offender population. Overall, the study proved to be statistically insignificant. Multivariate analysis did show, however, that certain demographic variables were more predictive in determining an individual's support towards sex offender management policies.

Emerging research highlights the role of self-regulation in the treatment of sexual offenders. Safe Offender Strategies (SOS) is a manualized sex offender treatment program that emphasizes the role of self-regulation and self-regulatory skills development in sex offender treatment, particularly for offenders with serious mental illness and intellectual/developmental disabilities. The current study involves 156 adult male sexual offenders in an inpatient psychiatric setting who received SOS treatment for a period ranging from 6 months to 1 year. Participants’ baseline and treatment data were obtained from archival medical records describing 1 year pre-treatment and up to 2 years of treatment participation. Dependent variables included monthly count rates of verbal and physical aggression and contact and noncontact sexual offending, as well as sexual deviancy attitudes, self-regulatory ability, and cooperation with treatment and supervision, as measured by the Sex Offender Treatment Intervention and Progress Scale (SOTIPS). Data were examined via paired-samples t tests, regression, and multilevel modeling, examining the impact of overall percentage of SOS groups attended over time, comparing participants’ baseline measures to data from 2 years of treatment. The impact of predicted risk was also evaluated. Significant treatment dose effects were identified for improvements in aggression, sexual offending, and indicators of treatment compliance and change. These findings suggest that the skills-based, self-regulation approach utilized in SOS may be effective in improving clients’ aggressive and sexual behaviors, attitudes toward their offenses and treatment, and self-regulatory ability over time. Implications for further research and treatment generalizability are discussed.

Suicidality and self-harm behaviors among sex offenders remain underreported in the clinical literature and are often misunderstood in this complex population. The present study aims to identify rates of suicide attempts and self-injurious behaviors in a sample of 1,184 psychiatric inpatients, 462 of whom are sexual offenders. Between-group comparisons revealed significant differences in history of suicide attempts and self-harm behaviors, with sexual offenders evidencing greater rates of both. Significant psychiatric correlates of suicide attempts and self-harm behaviors among sex offenders varied by group and included a variety of psychiatric symptom presentations. These are compared with the general literature on suicide risk and the sex offender population. Implications for treatment of these behaviors in a sex offender population are discussed.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of safe offender strategies (SOS) in comparison with relapse prevention (RP) in a sample of 91 inpatient males in a secure psychiatric setting. All men evidenced a history of violent sexual offending and were diagnosed with serious psychiatric disorders and/or intellectual disabilities. Participants who received SOS (n = 58) and RP (n = 33) were followed from 6 to 36 months post release. SOS clients were significantly less likely to be arrested (0%) or rehospitalized (5.2%) than RP clients (9% arrested; 54.5% rehospitalized). In addition, SOS clients were more likely to transition continuously to less restrictive alternatives, with no returns to high security, in comparison with RP clients. The authors discuss implications for use of SOS, a treatment that facilitates skills development and affects global self-regulatory functioning, particularly in sex offenders with serious mental illness or intellectual impairment, in promoting community reintegration and limiting returns to psychiatric settings.

Individuals in the forensic mental health system who have experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are more likely to display suicidal ideation and engage in suicidal or non-suicidal self-injurious behavior. Additionally, prior research suggests that sex offender status may be disproportionately associated with increased suicidality. The current study explores risk correlates in those at heightened risk of suicidality and self-harm due to involvement with the criminal justice system, the presence of serious mental illness, and exposure to ACEs. Initial ACEs research explored the impact of self-reported physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, emotional and physical neglect, and household dysfunction on long term adult mental and physical health outcomes. While the ACE survey is a strong determinant of possible later adulthood adversity in samples with a range of exposure to adversity, it may be less helpful in criminal justice and forensic populations who experience disproportionate exposure to ACEs. Other risk correlates above and beyond those identified in the ACE survey may influence suicidality and self-harm and are yet to be explored. Here, outcomes included history of suicide attempts, age at first suicide attempt, and if 1st psychiatric hospitalization resulted from attempting suicide. Predictors included gender, total ACE score, out of home placements, status as a violent or sexual offender, mental health diagnoses, multiple sexual perpetrators against female participants, and cause of parental incarceration. Participants were 182 forensic inpatients in a maximum and intermediate security state hospital. The majority were male (81%; n = 147), with ethnicity nearly evenly distributed between Caucasian (56%; n = 101) and African-American (40%; n = 73), with few of Hispanic (2%; n = 4) or mixed ethnic (2%; n = 4) origins. Participants were, on average, 32.5 years of age (SD = 11.6, range 10-61). Most presented with a psychotic disorder (59.90%, n = 109), while other most frequent diagnoses included intellectual disability/cognitive developmental disorders (57.70%, n =1 05), a mood disorder (45.60%, n = 83), and impulse control disorders (22.5%, n = 41). Thirty-seven participants reported an ACE score of 0 (20.6%), 36 an ACE score of 1 (20. %), 32 an ACE score of 2 (17.8%), and 17 an ACE score of 3 (9.4%). Fifty-eight patients presented with an ACE score of 4+ (33%). Mean gender differences were significant (χ2 = 25.9, df = 8, p < .001), with the modal ACE score among female participants at 7, at a rate of nearly 23%. Of note, 29 (15.9%) had previous arrests for sexual offenses, and 79 (42.7%) were arrested for non-sexual violent offenses. Those remaining had engaged in these behaviors but were not arrested. In order to evaluate the impact of our predictor variables on the relationship between ACE score and likelihood of an individual making a suicide attempt, a single predictor logistic model will be fitted to the data. History of suicide attempts included 96 participants (52.7%) having made an attempt. Because it is likely that ACE score alone will not explain the relationship between suicide attempts in a sample with such elevated ACE scores, additional predictors will be included in a multiple predictor logistic model, including status as a sexual offender. Similar analyses will examine the impact of ACEs, sex offender status, and other related variables on the likelihood that first psychiatric hospitalization resulted from suicidality. A one-way between subjects ANOVA will be conducted to compare the effect of an ACE score of four or more on the age at first suicide attempt. We will additionally examine the impact of sex offender vs. violent vs. other offense status on age at first suicide attempt.

No description available.