Thesis (M.A.)--Carleton University, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 160-173). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (M.A.) - Carleton University, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 78-84). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

It behooves any legislator confronted with a society plagued by continuous and increasingly violent crimes, to promulgate legislation which strives to deter potential offenders by inter alia limiting the access they have to potential victims. It is in this vain that the South African legislator promulgated legislation which established a National Register for Sex Offenders whereby convicted (or in certain circumstances alleged) offenders' access to potential victims are limited by restricting the opportunities these offenders might have to commit another sexual offence. The aim of this dissertation is to closely examine this newly established National Register for Sex Offenders. This examination is performed within a constitutional framework from whence a comparative analysis of an analogous register in the United Kingdom is conducted. This dissertation seeks to pre-empt potential shortcomings of the National Register for Sex Offenders by providing recommendations based on findings from the aforementioned comparative study. This dissertation begins by setting out the scope and parameters of the National Register for Sex Offenders wherein it is also discussed whether or not this register acts as an extenuation of an offender's punishment and if so, whether or not it is justifiable. After this investigation, various possible infringements of the offender's constitutional rights are identified, discussed and justified. This dissertation, subsequently, studies an analogous register also recently established in the United Kingdom which helps to identify certain shortcomings in the National Register for Sex Offenders, whereafter certain recommendations are made. Most importantly, it is recommended that an independent authority should be established to regulate and administer the National Register for Sex Offenders. Furthermore, it is recommended that the National Register for Sex Offenders and the National Child Protection Register should be amalgamated into one register which will not only save taxpayers' money, but will also avoid any confusion. Another crucially important recommendation is that the scope of the National Register for Sex Offenders should be widened to include all vulnerable adults and not only those that are mentally disabled. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Public Law / unrestricted

People convicted of sexual offences are arguably one of the most marginalized criminal offender groups because both the general population and offender populations tend to have hardened views of these individuals (Spencer, 2009; Wilson & Prinzo, 2001). Circles of Support and Accountability Ottawa (CoSA-Ottawa) is an organization that helps people convicted of sexual offences reintegrate into society by challenging traditional forms of community reintegration. CoSA-Ottawa was founded on the principles of restorative justice, which are exemplified in their mottos “no more victims” and “no one is disposable.” The organization relies on the commitment and contribution of volunteers to assist with the reintegration process. While there have been various studies on CoSA from different perspectives (Duwe, 2012; Fox, 2014; Wilson, Picheca, and Prinzo, 2007; Wilson & Prinzo, 2001), there have been few studies directly focusing on CoSA-Ottawa volunteers through a critical lens. This study examines the subjective experiences of CoSA-Ottawa volunteers who work with people labeled as ‘sex offenders.’ The research was conducted using semi-structured interviews with six participants. Each interview transcript was transcribed and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The master themes that developed through this study include: the humanization of the monstrous, the reintegration and re-socialization through a helping relationship, and overall impacts of these relationships on CoSA-Ottawa volunteers. Using a governmentality and power conceptual framework, this thesis demonstrates how the relationships between the core members and volunteers are transformative and act as an extension of the carceral system. Further, this thesis illustrates that the supportive function of these relationships is explicit, while their governing function is implicit.

Sexual assault and abuse have a significant impact on victims and society. Although there has been a plethora of research studies examining the criminogenic aspects of sexual offending, sparse literature exists on the emotional aspects of sexual offending. Prior research established that sex offenders hold deficits in their emotional functioning that could be a result of psychopathic personality traits. This research study sought to expand the literature on sex offenders and investigate if adult male sex offenders in New Jersey differ in emotional intelligence and psychopathic personality traits depending on victim typology. This study was grounded in coercion and integrated theories to explore if there are differences between the emotional intelligence and psychopathic personality traits of adult male sex offenders in New Jersey who have adult victims and child victims. The research questions asked if adult male sex offenders in New Jersey with adult victims differ in emotional intelligence and psychopathic personality traits than adult male sex offenders with child victims. Data were collected from a sample of 80 adult sex offenders located in New Jersey who were administered the Bar-On EQ-I and PPI-R. Results were analyzed using a multivariate analysis of variance. The findings of the study showed that when compared to convicted sex offenders with adult victims, convicted sex offenders with child victims had higher total and subscale scores on the EQ-I and lower scores on the three dimensions of the PPI-R. The implications for positive social change include helping to tailor treatment programs to reduce the risk of recidivism based off the identified offender emotional intelligence and psychopathic personality differences.

Magister Artium (Social Work) - MA(SW) / It is well documented that learners in South Africa face increasing levels of bullying, at either school, or more recently, via the various social networks. More alarming is the fact that bullying through social networks often include exposure to a range of inappropriate content, such as child pornography.

The prevalence of adversities in early childhood, such as physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, as well as familial dysfunction (e.g., caregiver divorce/separation, caregiver incarceration, etc.) is often examined in community adult samples. According to the Kaiser Permanente’s Adverse Childhood Experiences study, 10.6% of the general population reported experiencing emotional abuse in childhood, 28.3% reported experiencing physical abuse in childhood, and 20.7% reported being the victim of sexual abuse in childhood. Notably, many reported experiencing multiple forms of abuse. These statistics, however, are not generalizable to the experiences of youths involved with the criminal justice system, which are understudied but likely higher than in a general community sample. Research regarding the effect of adversity on sex offending youths is necessary to inform treatment and responses to abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction during childhood. Participants were recruited from archival data gathered at a rural residential juvenile sex offender treatment facility. Our preliminary subsample is approximately 6.7% (n = 30) of the anticipated total of approximately 500 juveniles in the residential sex offender treatment program. Our sample was entirely male (100%), primarily white (96.7%), and had a mean age of 14.77 (SD=1.43) at the time of admission. Using the rural-urban continuum codes outline by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 23% of our current sample was admitted to the facility from metropolitan areas, 20% from non-core urban population areas, and 3.3% from rural areas. The data collection began in November of 2014, and is ongoing. We can expect to have approximately 10 to 15% of data collection (n = 50-75) by April 2015. Our findings, thus far, indicate that 43% of juvenile sex offenders experienced emotional abuse, 70% experienced physical abuse, and 63% experienced sexual abuse in early childhood. We have also found that approximately 87% of our sample experienced caregiver divorce or separation, and 40% experienced caregiver incarceration during childhood. These findings suggest that these juveniles have experienced higher rates of early childhood abuse and familial dysfunction than the general adult population, as reported in the literature. As data collection proceeds, we expect to continue to find a notably higher rate of childhood abuse and familial dysfunction among juvenile sex offenders in residential treatment compared to the general population, and we will continue to examine all potential differences between juveniles from rural and urban areas.

A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree MA (Counseling Psychology) in the Department of Psychology Faculty of Arts University of Zululand, 2004. / This is an exploratory study aimed at uncovering the personality dynamics of sexual offenders at Qalakabusha prison hi Empangeni. Various theories were reviewed in relation to the present study. The study was earned out focusing on the offenders who have been convicted for committing rape. With the assistance of officials at Qalakabusha prison, the researcher was able to use the purposive sampling technique hi selecting the respondents. Data was collected hi a series of individual interviews. In addition, the researcher also administered the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory Test (MCMl-IJI) and the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) to assess the personality dynamics of sexual offenders. From the themes that emerged from the oral interviews with the research participants, it became evident that many beliefs about rape exists in the form of myths. It also became evident from the personality tests administered, as well as from the themes that emerged from the oral interviews, that through the process of socialization, males are taught to be strong, aggressive and sexually assertive. Females are taught to be submissive, passive and weak. Spurred on by this, males may resort to rape as a method of showing their power over women. The elevations from the MCMI-III suggest that the personality dynamics of sexual offenders is characterized by delusional disorder. Clinical syndromes that were devoted were alcohol dependence, anxiety, somatoform and dysthymia with basic aggressive and antisocial, schizoid, avoidant and depressive, personality patterns. They are also dominated by schizotypal and paranoid personality pathology. It was interesting to note similarities between the themes that emerge from the oval interviews and the scales that were elevated on the MCMI-III Test. These were aggressive outbursts and poor social relations. With regard to the TAT test, the participant's mood and tone were characterized by hesitancy, uncertainty, conflicted anxiety, guilt and self contemptuous. The main hero was an initiator (man), who was powerful. The main theme was that of anger towards females. Similarities also existed between the themes that emerged from the oval interviews and the TAT test administered. In both these, women were perceived as objects to be exploited, and their main needs were those of dominance, sex, aggression and recognition. The study then made the following recommendations: "There is a need for educational programs and public campaigns aimed at reducing the vulnerability to crime in all communities around South Africa, as well as rehabilitation programs, since the research has revealed some of the personality dynamics of sexual offenders. Such programmes would be cost effective and will help to reduce the cost of court hearings, should the offender be brought to trial. Incarceration of the offender whether in state hospital or prison, poses financial burden to the taxpayers. It is also recommended that there is a need for a co-ordinated effort and assistance of the diverse organizations and institutions such as prisons, business, trade unions, welfare agencies, NGO's. schools, and religious organizations to work together in combating crime in South Africa. While less research has been conducted on male rape. This study recommended future research on male (victim) rape, since males also experience the many reactions that females experience (National Victim Center, 1991). In the light of the above recommendations, the study concluded that rape is a crime that not only needs to be prevented but once committed, the involvement of a number of individuals, groups and organizations is needed to resolve the consequences it generates. The research also concluded that the present study made valuable contribution to our understanding of the world of the sexual offenders and was a success despite a few limitations. The understanding of the personality dynamics of sexual offenders through interviews and psychological tests, has indeed formed the basis for the development of an effective integrated prevention program at all levels, i.e. primary (preventing incidence). secondary (preventing prevalence) and tertian' levels (rehabilitation). / National Research Foundation (NRF)

Mental health professionals may lack the necessary knowledge and competency to work with female sexual offenders. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine whether gender influences attitudes toward sexual offenders and their treatment outcomes among psychology and mental health graduate students. This study was grounded in a dual form of deductive theory; alpha and beta bias was the primary theory and constructivism was the secondary theory. Data were collected from 186 graduate students in mental health programs from multiple universities. The Community Attitudes Towards Sex Offenders and the Attitude Towards the Treatment of Sexual Offender assessments were used to measure attitudes toward sexual offenders and attitudes toward sexual offender treatment. Factorial ANOVAs revealed a main effect for offender gender, with more negative attitudes toward female sexual offenders and the treatment of female sexual offenders. A significant interaction effect was found between gender of participant and gender of offender. Attitudes toward female treatment were more negative, particularly with male participants. Considering that most sexual offender treatment programs and awareness programs are geared toward male offenders, findings may be used to develop more effective policy and treatment for female sexual offenders.

Research on child sexual abuse (CSA), from the perspective of the perpetrator, has been conducted to better inform intervention and prevention programs. Although information from perpetrators can be beneficial for these programs, much of the research is limited by the diversity of sample populations of sex offenders. Moreover, potentially distinct variables relevant to specific populations (e.g., Latinos) have not been thoroughly studied in relation to CSA. To better understand the perpetration of CSA on variables that may be of particular concern to Latinos (i.e., relationship quality in familial supervision and acculturation strategies), the purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationships between supervisor relationship quality, acculturation, and adolescent group membership (i.e., juvenile sex offender - JSO and juvenile comparison - JC). It was hypothesized that Latinos who are assimilated or marginalized are more likely to belong to the JSO group than the JC group. Further, Latino adolescents characterized by an integrated or separated acculturation strategy are more likely to be affiliated with JC group than the JSO group. It was also hypothesized that participants' relationship with their familial supervisor will predict adolescent membership and that acculturation will mediate this relationship. Results for both hypotheses were inconclusive. The probability of using a specific acculturation strategy was not statistically different for either adolescent group. The relationship between supervisor relationship quality and juvenile group membership was non-significant; therefore, the meditational role of acculturation could not be assessed. Further research, using a larger sample size with more complete data is recommended. Suggestions for other design improvements are also provided.