This study is a qualitative research study that is based on conventional content analysis. The purpose of the study is to investigate experiences and experiences of working with sexual offenders convicted in probation. The study is based on interviews with employees from the probation service, there were 6 respondents who participated in the study who shared their experiences from a stigma perspective. In the study, categories were formed based on the interviews and also core category. The most salient result is that the legislation, punishment and treatment are presented as opposites but rehabilitation can be part of the penalty. The categories are: Changes within the organization, Punishment, Legislation & Rehabilitation, The Perpetrator and the Return to Society, Society's Attitudes & Stigma and the last is the core category: Sexual Crime And Society & Overall Analysis. Furthermore, the study shows that stigma is common when there is a conviction of sexual crime. / Studien är en kvalitativ forskningsstudie. Syftet med studien är att undersöka erfarenheter och upplevelser av att arbeta med sexualbrottsdömda inom frivården. Studien bygger på intervjuer med anställda från frivården, 6 respondenter som deltog och delade med sig av sina erfarenheter.  Utifrån resultatet bildades kategorier och även en kärnkategori. Det mest framträdande i resultat är att lagstiftningen, straffet och rehabiliteringen framställs som motsatser men rehabilitering kan vara en del av straffpåföljden. Kategorierna är följande: Förändringar inom organisationen, Straffet, lagstiftning & rehabilitering, Förövaren och återgången till samhället, Samhällets attityder & Stigmatiseringen. Den sista är kärnkategorin som är följande: Sexualbrottslighet och samhället. Vidare visar studien på att stigmatisering är vanligt förekommande när det handlar om arbete med sexualbrottsdömda personer.

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)

Objective Adolescence is recognised as a risk period for offending and head injury (HI), with higher rates of HI found in the young offender (YO) population compared to the general population. Drug and alcohol use has also been associated with increased risk of offending. This study aims to explore the relationships between HI, Post-concussion symptoms (PCS), reactive and proactive aggression, and offending behaviour in YOs, whilst considering the effects of drug and alcohol use on these relationships. Participants A sample of ninety eight males was recruited from a Young Offender Institute: the age range was 16-18 years of age with an average age of 17. Design A between subjects cross sectional design was employed. Participants were recruited using an opportunistic sampling strategy. Main Measures Self-rated/report measures of: HI, Post-Concussion Symptoms (Adapted Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptom Questionnaire), Aggression (Reactive-Proactive Scale), criminal histories, and drug and alcohol history. Results HI was reported by 73.5% of the overall sample, with 61.1% reporting a “knock out”. Frequency and severity of HI was associated with significantly higher PCS scores. Examination of covariate- drug and alcohol use did not affect these relationships. PCS were a significant predictor of reactive aggression, total number of convictions and number of previous violent convictions. However, dosage of HI (severity and frequency) was not a significant predictor of reactive aggression or criminal profiles. Conclusions There appears to be a dose-response effect of severity and frequency of HI on PCS, with PCS predicting reactive aggression. Such symptoms may compromise functions and lead to increased aggression. This highlights the need for better screening and interventions for HI and on-going symptoms in YOs.

The purpose of the research was to investigate the difference in attributions of offenders and magistrates about the factors that led to offending behaviour. Difference in beliefs between offenders and magistrates, about seriousness of some common offences and factors believed to be motives for offending, justification of offending and neutralisation of responsibility for offending were also investigated. The effect that differences in attributions between offenders and magistrates and how these influence the way in which offenders are dealt with in the criminal justice system was investigated. The attitude of criminal justice system professionals, and magistrates towards offenders was also investigated to find out if they affect court sentencing decisions, and the treatment and punishment imposed in an attempt to reduce offending. My research has shown, that offenders and magistrates hold significantly different attributions about the factors that influence people to offend, and about offence seriousness. Offenders and magistrates also hold significantly different beliefs about motives for offending, justification of offending and neutralisation of responsibility for offending. The UK Government Crime Reduction Policy since 1997, has been strongly related to the ‘What Works’ approach. This has influenced sentencing policy and the treatment of offenders. A major strand of the policy has been the introduction and implementation of the What Works’ approach and the use of Cognitive Behavioural Accredited Programmes within the Probation Service and Prison Service to change the behaviour of offenders and reduce recividism (Harper and Chitty 2005). Based on my research findings recommendations are made in the final chapter of the thesis for modifications to the present approach, and the treatment of offenders.

Objectives: There is evidence that childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with increased risk of offending and violent crime. This study aimed to explore associations between TBI in a group of delinquent and vulnerable young people (VYP) at risk of offending, and facial emotion recognition (FER) abilities, inhibition control (Stop-IT) and self-reported reactive-proactive aggression (RPQ). Methods: There were two studies. The first study used a cross sectional between group design to compare 45 VYP (with and without TBI) and a control group of 59 students on FER task measuring emotion recognition accuracy of six basic emotions. The second study examined differences between TBI and non-TBI groups in the VYP sample (N=21) on a Stop-IT task, FER accuracy and self-reported reactive-proactive aggression. Results: A history of TBI was reported by 60% of the VYP group (48.9% with loss of consciousness [LoC]), whereas 30% of the control group reported a history of TBI (25.4% with LoC). The VYP group (with and without TBI) demonstrated a similar pattern of reduced overall FER accuracy that was significantly different to the control group. Compared to the control group, The VYP groups (with and without TBI) were less accurate on recognising anger, disgust, sadness and surprise, but not happy and fear. There were no significant differences between the TBI- and non-TBI groups. The second study did not find any significant differences between the TBI and non-TBI groups on overall FER accuracy, Stop-IT performance, and RPQ scores. There were also no significant associations between these measures. Conclusions: Future research requires larger samples that enable investigating the association between different severity of TBI, FER and inhibition control ability. Better and more youth-friendly measures are also needed.

This research presents the first empirical study of music provision in Scottish prisons and explores the potential benefits of music engagement for prisoners, with a focus on young offenders’ experience. The scope of the study begins with an investigation into music provision in prisons throughout Scotland by means of a small-scale survey. This survey showed that despite a lack of documentation, music is currently present in Scottish prisons and has been previously, albeit intermittently. Music provision included a range of activity: learning how to play musical instruments, singing, music theory, song-writing and composition. Subsequently, two music intervention studies were conducted with young offenders at HM Young Offenders Institution Polmont. The first study was a ten-week project with three participant groups: a music group, an art group and a control group. Pre- and post-interviews and measures were used to assess participants’ self-esteem, self-control, behaviour, literacy skills and engagement with education. Numerous difficulties were identified with conducting such research in a prison environment, including the recruitment process and using standard assessment measures. However, results from the small number of men involved showed!an increase in engagement with education for all three groups during the project and a steady continued increase in education engagement for the music group after the project ended. Additionally, the music and art groups showed a small increase in mean scores for self-esteem, positive emotions reported and self-control. The second study examined two music interventions with young offenders as part of the year-long Inspiring Change pilot project. This study used interviews and session review forms with education staff and arts practitioners to document the process of the organisations involved in the planning and implementation of the projects. Focus groups with young offenders were carried out to gather their opinions of the programmes. Participants expressed that they especially appreciated the high level of professionalism of the arts practitioners, working as a group, and being recognised as making an individual contribution towards a final project. In addition to the survey and intervention studies, a Knowledge Exchange workshop was designed for music tutors in Scottish prisons to meet, learn about research on music in prisons, and exchange ideas for best practice. A workbook and afternoon workshop format was investigated in terms of its effectiveness and was found to be beneficial for music tutors in learning more about the research and practice of teaching music in prisons. This thesis contributes to the developing research on the benefits of music provision for prisoners and provides a baseline of music provision in Scottish prisons for further study.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Criminology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

<p>The aim of this paper was to describe the phenomenon of threats and violence within a Swedish penal institution. The study was thematized according to the three main research questions. These were as follows; The threats and violence prison staff have experienced in their workplace (I) how these experiences affected them in their work performances (II) and in their private life (III). By a qualitative design, in-depth interviews were carried out with four persons who are, or formerly have been, gainfully employed at a penal institution. Concepts from the theory of symbolic interactionism and a theory of human action have been used in the analysing process of this paper. The study showed that all respondents had experiences of threats and/or violence as well as been witnessing the phenomenon. This also showed to be something that had been affecting them in their work e.g. by changes of departments, sick leaves and a different treatment of offenders through avoiding certain inmates and situations. The respondents exposure of threats and violence was related to understaffing and management structure. The study further showed that the respondents were affected in their private life in terms of a changed outlook on people, mood changes and also through a blunting concerning fear.</p>

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 aim of this thesis was to describe how mentally disordered offenders would be affected by reintroducing the accountability requirement within Swedish legislation, based on social workers’ preconceptions. Mental illness creates a number of issues within criminal justice systems. Almost all countries worldwide have an insanity defense in order to obtain de-criminalization of mentally disordered offenders. However, mentally disordered offenders are criminalized within Sweden’s current legislation. Therefore, the government is proposing a legislative reform. The reform suggests that the accountability requirement will be reintroduced within Swedish legislation. Within this inquiry semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with six forensic social investigators. In light of Becker’s labeling theory and Goffman’s theory of stigma the results reveal social, psychological and behavioral consequences of the new legislation. The participants believe that, de-criminalization provides social and psychological advantages for mentally ill persons. Nevertheless, excusing people from responsibility might produce irresponsible behavior. Since responsibility is an essential part in rehabilitation as well as preventing criminal recidivism.