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.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Texas, Aug., 2007. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Memphis, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 91-101).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1997. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [80]-92).

Thesis (M.A.)--Carleton University, 1993. / Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Afrikaans text / Kindermolestering het die afgelope vyftien jaar 'n toenemende probleem in Suid-Afrika geword. Baie aandag is aan die slagoffer gegee, tenvyl die kindermolesteerder as kardinale deel van die probleem heeltemal verwaarloos is. Laasgenoemde maak hierdie navorsingsondersoek ten opsigte van die kindermolesteerder dringend noodsaaklik. en prosesse in die lewe van die kindermolesteerder, waaruit 'n ryk en indiepte beskrywing van die kindennolesteerder gevolg het. Die tweede fase is kwantitatief benader en navorser het gebruik gemaak van 'n onderhoudskedule wat aan 'n meer omvangryke groep kindermolesteerders en verkragters voorgele is om hulle reaksie op die data syfennatig te bepaal. Verkragters is gekies omdat hulle en die molesteerders 'n seksuele misdryf as gemene deler het. Navorser wou met laasgenoemde die bruikbaarheid van die skedule bepaal en verdere ondersteuning vir die ondersoek verkry. Hierdie data is rekenaarmatig verwerk en skematies uitgebeeld. Die navorsingsondersoek het aan die lig gebring dat kindermolesteerders uit disfunksionele gesinne kom, waarin hulle persoonlikheidseienskappe en gedragspatrone aangeleer het, wat kan lei tot kindermolestering. Laasgenoemde word deur bevindings ten opsigte van Hierdie navorsingsondersoek het 'n bydrae tot die wetenskaplike kennis gemaak deurdat die bruikbaarheid van pluralisme in die ondersoek uitgewys is; • ooreenkomste en verskille tussen kindermolesteerders en verkragters geYdentifiseer is; • die prominente rol van pornografie in kindermolestering aan die lig gekom het; • 'n profiel van die kindermolesteerder saamgestel is; die gedrag van die molesteerder teoreties verklaar is; • 'n behandelingstruktuur vir die oortreder saamgestel is. Aanbevelings vir die toekomstige bantering van die kindermolesteerder en verdere navorsing in die verband is gemaak. Die doel van hierdie navorsingsondersoek is om 'n omvattende beeld van die kindermolesteerder as oortreder te verkry ten einde die probleem van kindermolestering aan te spreek. Hierdie ondersoek is pluralisties benader en het in opeenvolgende fases plaasgevind. Fase een is kwalitatief benader en navorser het semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude gevoer met tien kindermolesteerders aan die hand van 'n onderhoudsgids. Aandag is gegee aan die gebeure / Over the past fifteen years child molestation has become a growing problem in South Africa. Much attention has been given to the victim while the child molester as a cardinal part ofthe problem has been completely neglected, which made this study of the child molester crucial. The purpose of this study is to obtain a comprehensive picture of the child molester as offender in order to tackle the problem of child molestation. The research was conducted in consecutive phases from a pluralistic approach. The first phase was qualitative and the researcher conducted semi$tructured interviews with ten child molesters, based on an interview guide. Attention was given to the events and processes in the lives of the child molesters. From this a rich and detailed description of the child molesters was obtained. The second phase was quantitative and the researcher used an interview schedule which was presented to a more comprehensive group of child molesters and rapists to determine their reaction to the data statistically. Rapists were chosen because they and the child molesters had a sexual offence as common denominator. By using rapists the researcher wanted to detennine the usefulness of the schedule and gain further support for the investigation. The data were processed by computer and depicted schematically. The research revealed that child molesters come from dysfunctional families, in which they acquired personality traits and behavioural patterns which can lead to child molestation. The latter is supported by findings on rapists. child molesters. From this a rich and detailed description of the child molesters was obtained. The second phase was quantitative and the researcher used an interview schedule which was presented to a more comprehensive group of child molesters and rapists to determine their reaction to the data statistically. Rapists were chosen because they and the child molesters had a sexual offence as common denominator. By using rapists the researcher wanted to detennine the usefulness of the schedule and gain further support for the investigation. The data were processed by computer and depicted schematically. The research revealed that child molesters come from dysfunctional families, in which they acquired personality traits and behavioural patterns which can lead to child molestation. The latter is supported by findings on rapists. A profile of the child molester was compiled and Bandura's social learning theory used to explain his behaviour. To deal with the problem of child molestation, a treatment schedule was developed for the child molester. This study has contributed to scientific knowledge by • showing the usefulness of pluralism in the investigation • identifying similarities and differences between child molesters and rapists • revealing the prominent role of pornography in child molestation • compiling a profile of the child molester • explaining the behaviour of the molester theoretically • developing a treatment structure for the offender Recommendations are made for the future treatment of the child molester and further research. / Criminology and Security Studies / D.Phil. (Kriminologie)

Social histories and testing data were compiled during initial placement assessments of 147 individuals arrested and charged as child molesters, exhibitionists, and voyeurs. These data were statistically analyzed using discriminant analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Child molesters, exhibitionists, and voyeurs were found to differ with regards to history of voyeurism; Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) L scale scores; sexual arousal in response to a violent scenario involving a 12-year-old male, measured via penile plethysmography; and age. Implications of these results are discussed relative to the population sampled and future research.

The present study investigated the validity of the Pe (Toobert, Bartelme, & Jones, 1959) and Sexual Deviancy (Marsh, Hilliard, & Liechti, 1955) subscales, developed from the MMPI, to determine if the scales would discriminate convicted sexual offenders from nonsexual offenders.

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.

Thesis (MSc (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / There is a growing need for research to facilitate a better understanding of paedophilia. This study aims to make a contribution in this regard by providing an analysis of current discourses in paedophilia research as well as a phenomenological exploration of how the male paedophile constructs his close relationships with children. Analysis reveals how the dominant positivist approach to paedophilia research embeds and perpetuates moral and often prejudicial positions that in turn influence the validity of empirical findings and theory, and tend to marginalise contradictory evidence. In an attempt to circumvent these obstacles, it is argued that the psychological need to form close relationships is a universal one.