This study examines the potential effects of sex offender residency restriction laws on both the offenders and potential victimsin Riverside County, CA. Through the use of census data and mapping software the residentially zoned areas in which sex offenders can or can not live are examined.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 21-30, 41-51, 66-70).

Magister Artium - MA / This study aims to explore the family environment of non-admitting sex offenders in order to gain insight into the family characteristics that could be contributing factors towards the behaviour of denial. However, the focus will not be on the families of the sex offenders, but rather on the non-admitting sex offenders’ views of their family environment. The theoretical framework used is the Social Learning Theory, because it supports the fact that most behaviour is learned through modelling the behaviour of others. The researcher used a qualitative approach and the aim of the study was to generate information that would describe the family environment of non-admitting sex offenders. The population of this study was incarcerated, sentenced sex offenders with specific focus on the non-admitting sex offender as the unit of analysis. Ten (10) participants were purposively selected for the study and semi-structured interviews were conducted with each one in order to generate the needed information for the study

D.Litt. et Phil / This study has aimed at exploring the narratives of perpetrators of child sexual abuse within a social constructionist research approach. Tape-recorded conversations were held with twelve participants who were engaged in a treatment programme at Childline Johannesburg and Childline KwaZulu Natal. The conversations with these men served to punctuate the participants' own experiences both in childhood and throughout the course of their adolescent and adult lives in order to elicit meaning and understanding of their offending behaviour. These narratives were compared to the traditional empirical research literature. The narratives highlighted some similarities to the traditional research literature; however, various differences were also noted. The similarities pertain particularly to: their experiences of having had traumatic and disruptive childhoods; an apparent lack of empathy for the victim; the employment of a wide range of rationalisations in order to explain their offences; a lack of self-esteem; a dearth of sex education in their home environment. Differences between narratives and the traditional research literature encompassed: the role of alcohol as a causal factor in offending; the belief in the abused-abuser hypothesis; the notion that most offenders begin their aberrant pattern of offending in adolescence; an absence of the popular stereotype that paedophiles are sexually and/or physically attracted to children. The participants in this study indicated an emotional attraction to their victims.

Child sexual abuse (CSA) has been recognized as a widespread and devastating problem in our society. Definitional challenges result in a broad range of prevalence rates for CSA varying from 60/0 to 62% for females and 30/0 to 31 % for males (Finkelhor, Araji, Baron, Browne, Peters, & Wyatt, 1986). Although CSA affects our nation's children in epidemic proportions, researchers have found little conclusive evidence regarding CSA precursors. One promising area for exploring the etiology of CSA may be the differential patterns of sexual fantasies in juvenile and adult sex offenders. Abel, Becker, Mittleman, Cunningham-Rathner, Rouleau and Murphy (1987) found that more than 40% of non-familial child molesters reported the development of deviant sexual fantasies prior to sexually offending. Despite variations in offender subgroups, Marshall, Barbaree and Eccles (1991) found that 22% of the offenders experienced deviant fantasies prior to their first sexual offense. Unfortunately, the literature in this area has been quite limited despite its potential. Understanding offender similarities and differences in adult and juvenile populations may be important due to the large proportion of the offender population who begin sexually offending as juveniles and due to the treatment modalities that may be implemented for developmentally different offenders. As many as 500/0 of adult sex offenders have reported sexually deviant behavior beginning in adolescence (Becker, 1988; Ferhenbach, Smith, Monastersky & Deisher, 1986; Marshall, Barbaree, & Eccles, 1991). Juveniles have also been identified as perpetrators in more than half of all cases (Fehrenbach, Smith, Monastersky, & Deisher, 1986). This study investigates the relationship between offenders' sexual fantasies and their use of physical force to sexually offend. This investigation was also designed to examine the similarities and differences between adult and adolescent sexual offenders on these dimensions. Findings reveal an empirical relationship between offenders' fantasies and behaviors in sexual offending. It is anticipated that additional knowledge regarding potential relationships between fantasies and behaviors will assist in assessing and intervening with accused and convicted sexual offenders. Potential implications for clinical assessment and intervention into sexual abuse are discussed as well as the potential for understanding maintenance factors in the continuation of sexual abuse.

Thesis (M. Medicine (Psychiatry)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / BACKGROUND: The challenge of sexual offence crimes against women and children is notably increasing worldwide with an accompanying impact on the mental and physical well-being of the victims and society, in general. Despite the impact, sexual offenders remain a complex group, not well studied in forensic psychiatry settings globally. Previous studies identify psychosocial factors and mental illness associated with sexual offending. Adequate care, treatment and rehabilitation of sexual offenders are crucial to reduce the impact of sexual offence and re-offending. AIMS: To determine the demographic variations, clinical factors, and observation outcomes in terms of diagnosis, fitness to stand trial, and criminal responsibility among the alleged sexual offenders referred to Thabamoopo Hospital. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of mental disorders among alleged sexual offenders, to determine the number of offenders fit or unfit to stand trial and who are criminal or not criminally responsible, to determine factors associated with vulnerability to sexual offending behaviour. METHOD: This study is based on a review of clinical records and files and psychiatrists' observation reports of all alleged sexual offenders referred by the courts for forensic psychiatric observation between the period January 2015 to December 2018 at Thabamoopo Hospital. RESULTS: The sample consists of 94 participants, only one female; all were black Africans. The majority were in middle adulthood, unemployed, of a lower level of education and not married. All participants had been charged with rape. A large number of the alleged sexual offenders were diagnosed with mental conditions. The most common diagnoses were Intellectual disability disorders, psychotic disorders and substance-related disorders. More than half of the sample was fit to stand trial and criminally responsible. CONCLUSION: More than half of the participants charged with rape were found fit to stand trial and to be criminally responsible. A significant number were diagnosed with mental illness. The outcomes of being unfit to stand trial and not being criminally responsible were common among mentally ill sexual offenders. The results signify that this group of offenders needs adequate psychiatric care, treatment and rehabilitation in order to reduce sexual offending and re-offending due to the impact of mental illness.

Assessments designed to estimate the probability of sexual offense recidivism have gained popularity due to research that suggests these instruments are psychometrically sound for this purpose. The Static-2002 (Hanson & Thornton, 2003), an actuarial instrument of sexual recidivism, has been validated in specific populations, but in the absence of multicultural populations. It is necessary to establish the validity of the Static-2002 for a multicultural population, especially considering the increasing impetus to mandate measures of sexual recidivism. This study was designed to assess the predictive validity of the Static-2002 as an actuarial instrument that estimates the probability of sexual, violent, and general recidivism within a multicultural population. Recent criminal histories and de-identified archival records of 103 adult sex offenders were used to complete demographic questionnaires and to calculate retroactive predictive accuracy scores for the Static-2002. Records were obtained from a private practice office in South Florida, which provides outpatient treatment to conditionally released offenders. Hypothesis testing utilized a receiver operating characteristic area under the curve (ROC AUC) analysis to examine the discriminating power of the Static-2002 and to identify optimal cutoff values for each risk category. These cutoff values were then compared to the established Static-2002 risk categories to evaluate the cutoff scores' congruency. For this sample population, resulting ROC AUC values indicated the predictive accuracy of the Static-2002 to be moderate for any (including general; .67) offense recidivism, and high for violent recidivism (.74). However, the Static-2002 was ineffective for predicting sexual recidivism among this sample population since the predictive accuracy of the ROC area for sexual reoffenses was not statistically significant above chance (p = .07). The four Static-2002 risk categories derived for this study are: low, moderate-low, moderate-high, and high. When compared with the established Static-2002 risk categories, this study's risk categories were found to be mostly concurrent with the established categories. Similar to previous research, this study found that when the sample population differs racially/ethnically from the normed population (60% of this study's participants were Hispanic), the Static-2002 was ineffective for accurately predicting sexual reoffending. However, the Static-2002 effectively predicted violent and general recidivism with this sample population.

This study aims to contribute to our knowledge about the under researched area of sexual grooming, first of all, by reviewing the available literature to establish a baseline of understanding and secondly by considering three different perspectives, which expanded our understanding further. In depth interviews, lasting between one hour and a total time of approximately four hours, were conducted with five adult survivors of child sexual abuse, six child sex offenders and six police officers with child protection experience. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyse the interview data, which identified four main themes: vulnerability, offenders’ self grooming, entrapment and grooming shadow. These themes highlighted an ecological view, which acknowledged the multiple factors influencing an individual’s experience of childhood sexual abuse, and recognised the dynamic nature of sexual grooming, including its apparent link between childhood experience of this phenomenon and adulthood. Attribution and perceived power were the most significant influences within the sexual grooming process. The analysis was used to develop a new definition and two models of sexual grooming, which capture the complexity of this phenomenon. These models provide a framework within which to understand sexual grooming and furthermore to communicate this understanding to a non-academic audience. The Grooming ‘Cycle’ is of particular value with regard to raising public awareness, which is an important aspect as the research has revealed that child protection can only be effective if everybody takes responsibility for it.

Aims: Recently, empirical literature exploring cognitive characteristics of intimate partner violence offenders has received considerable attention with both theory and practice historically focusing on victims of the abuse. Qualitative exploration has proposed implicit theories (ITs), that is distinct sets of schemas that offenders hold in relation to themselves, the world and others. In relation to cognition in intimate partner violence offenders, this thesis had two aims: to systematically analyse qualitative literature exploring cognition in intimate partner violence offenders and to implement interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore cognition in intimate partner violence sex offenders. Methods: Aims are addressed separately in two journal articles. A systematic review of qualitative literature exploring cognition in intimate partner violence offenders is presented in journal article 1. Journal article 2 utilises interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore cognition in 11 intimate partner sex offenders. Results: In relation to journal article 1, systematic searches of bibliographic databases in addition to hand-searches of various articles in the domain of intimate partner violence were conducted to identify eight empirical papers qualitatively exploring cognition in intimate partner violence offenders. Synthesis of the papers resulted in 10 themes being extrapolated thought to be representative of cognition in intimate partner violence males: “violence is normal”; “policing partner”; “women are provoking” “need for control”; “grievance/revenge”; “external factors responsible”; “rejection/abandonment”; “minimisation/denial”; “entitlement” and “remorse”. Journal article two utilised interpretative phenomenological analysis of 11 transcripts of IPV offenders. This revealed five superordinate and 14 subthemes which are proposed as implicit theories present in this specific offender group. These are: “violence is acceptable”; “grievance/revenge”; “dangerous world”; “need for control”; “real man”; “entitlement/women are objects”; “male sex drive/policing partner”; “women are provoking”; “rejection/abandonment”; “women are supportive”; “uncontrollability”; “nature of harm”; “the new me” and “I‟m not like them”. Conclusions: Cognitions identified from the systematic review are discussed in addition to limitations of the synthesis and clinical and empirical utility. The implicit theories identified in journal article 2 are discussed in relation to other offending behaviour groups in addition to their clinical implications in the development of effective interventions and risk assessment tools.

Thesis (DPhil (Social Work))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / It is generally accepted that pre-teen sexual offences are becoming a widespread problem in South Africa and social workers are ill-equipped to render a competent service to prevent these youth offenders from re-offending. To date, the social, judicial and legislative systems do not provide any definite guidelines to prevent pre-teen sexual offenders from re-offending. The purpose of this study was to present guidelines which could serve as a framework when designing prevention programmes for pre-teen sex offenders. With the results of the study an attempt will be made to augment the knowledge and skills in this area in the social service delivery system, in order to render a professional and effective service to prevent pre-teen sexual offenders from reoffending. The objectives of the study were: first, to explain policy under the South African criminal justice system regarding crime according to the Sexual Offences Act, no 23 of 1957, and the Child Care Act, no 74 of 1983, as well as government and non-government services available to children under the age of 13 who sexually offend; second, to describe the social and personal circumstances of pre-teen sexual offenders in order to illustrate the nature of the deviant sexual behaviour of these children and to determine the need for prevention programmes; third, to reflect on the nature and function of prevention programmes for pre-teen sexual offenders and to investigate the need for social workers to utilize these programmes in welfare agencies in South Africa; fourth, to determine the nature of social work programmes which social workers in welfare agencies are using to address the needs and/or problems of pre-teen sexual offenders; and finally, to describe the knowledge and practice skills needed by social workers to design prevention programmes for pre-teen sexual offenders. The literature review was focused on research findings relating to issues examined in this study. An exploratory research design for the study was confined to a purposive sample of 79 respondents who were identified from a universe of 130 social workers to assess their need to develop prevention programmes in order to render a competent service to pre-teen sex offenders and their families. The results were analysed mainly quantitatively. The empirical study enabled the researcher to draw certain conclusions. The main finding was that pre-teen sex offences were on the increase, and that social workers therefore required ever greater knowledge and skills to empower them to use existing prevention of re-offending programmes for preteen sexual offenders, or alternatively, needed to develop their own such programmes. A number of recommendations flowed from the findings. The main recommendation was that welfare organisations rendering child care service should ensure that social workers have at their disposal a diverse knowledge and skills base consisting of the most significant prevention models and approaches to enable them to design their own prevention programmes for pre-teen sexual offenders. The welfare organisations should further supply social workers with training opportunities to enable them to design prevention programmes, thereby empowering them to render a professional service to pre-teen sexual offenders and their families. Finally, preventing pre-teen sex offenders from reoffending should be a state-driven initiative and national and provincial governments should provide adequate policies and facilities for the implementation of prevention programmes for pre-teen sexual offenders.