Adult Risk Assessment

Two of the scales are the Molester Comparison, and Rapist Comparison scales (Nichols & Molinder Assessments, Inc. 2010). These scales compare the current results against the scores of known child molesters and rapists, to identify any potentially alarming similarities (Nichols & Molinder Assessments, Inc., 2010). The Psychosexual Scales on the MSI-II assess for various areas such as emotional needs, social perceptions, and cognitive distortions. Additionally, the test attempts to quantify the existence of diagnoses or mental health traits consistent with conduct disorder, sociopathy, and substance abuse. (Nichols & Molinder Assessments, Inc., 2010). The test also assesses for paraphiliac interest in child molestation, rape, exhibitionism, voyeurism, and electronic means of sexual harassment or sexual behavior such as pornography, sex chats, or sexually explicit phone calls (Nichols & Molinder Assessments, Inc., 2010). The MSI-II also attempts to quantify a given offenders use of justifications for their offense, the level of accountability an offender takes for their sexually abusive behaviors, and the level of planning they are able to recognize as it relates to their planning of their offense (Nichols &

Juvenile sex offenders are frequently treated in the same manner as their adult counterparts with regards to punishment and sex offender registering. “Nationally, juvenile sex offenders make up 20% of all individuals charged with sexual offenses (McGinnis, 2006).” Placing a sex offender label on a juvenile may unjustifiably put restrictions on his or her opportunities in adulthood so it is for this reason that cases involving juvenile sex offenders should be prosecuted cautiously. The term “sex offender”

442). The pedophile’s age makes a large difference with rates of recidivism. As pedophiles age, their natural hormone concentration decreases and their libido becomes more dormant with age; however, there is “no reason to assume that libido or sexual arousability [sic] will decrease at identical rates in aging pedophiles” (Blanchard, 2005, p. 444). No two offenders receiving treatment will perform the same with recidivism rates. Corresponding with the course text regarding post law sentencing management, “that treatment can reduce recidivism for some offenders better than for others” (Holmes, 2009, p. 282). With treatment for exhibitionists and voyeurs seems to have a lower rate of recidivism, the sexual propensities for offenders’ holds higher rates of recidivism. “The published rates of recidivism are in the range of 10% to 50% for pedophiles” there shows a rather large percentage of difference due to the individual’s libido’s rate of decrease (Hall, 2007, p. 467). Part of the problem with locating recidivism information on pedophiles remains the lack of reporting for offences. Testing for such offenses proves time consuming and not always reliable. “Rate of recidivism was related to age at release, with younger men reoffending at a significantly higher rate than older men” due to the individual’s sexual drive and hormone levels (Blanchard, 2005, p. 453). Recidivism highly depends on the offender, the age of the offender, and how much the offender participates in their treatment(s). There are sexual behaviors that may help offenders stay on their beaten

Most research on sexual offending focuses on adult offenders, however, juveniles also engage in such behaviors. Official records indicate that juveniles are responsible for 17 to 20 percent of all sexual crimes, except prostitution, and victim reports, as well as, youth self-reports suggest even higher rates of juvenile sexual offending (Letourneau & Borduin, 2008). Although it remains clear that there is no specific “cure” for sex offenders, various treatment programs and punishments have been put in place as remedies to limit sex offending (Letourneau & Borduin, 2008). The following provides further insight on the most common treatment programs being utilized for juvenile sexual offenders today: cognitive-behavioral treatment programs (Terry, 2006).

Between 1996-2001, Virginia Adult Protective Services, substantiated 302 cases of sexual abuse (Roberto & Teaster, 2005). Virginia Adult Protective Services investigates abuse of any individual over the age of 18. These cases were examined in detail by offense, identifying problem with offender, and age of victim were documented. Out of the 302 cases, 125 of those cases were elder individuals (Roberto, et al., 2005). The types of hands-on offenses include: kissing/foundling- 58/125, vaginal rape- 4/125, digital penetration of the vagina or anus- 4/125 (Roberto, et al., 2005). Hands-off reported offenses include: unwelcome sexual interest- 32/125,

The need for risk/ needs assessment is to help predict the productive validity rate of juvenile offenders. There are many different instruments used to help classify delinquent youths and their likelihood of reoffending. Risk / needs assessment were primarily designed to the male population. Many researchers have examined gendered differences and feel as if there should be a “different need” approach that should be in place for women (Stephane M. Shepherd, 2012). Further researchers have found that females commit crime just as harsh and harmful as male juvenile offenders. By examining research conducted further research was able to be conducted to determine if the risk/ needs assessment instruments used to predict productive validity are as effective for female juvenile offenders.

Research on female sex offenders is not as researched as male sex offenders. According to Daalder & Essers, 2003;Elliott, 1993; Finkelhor, Gelles, Hotaling, & Straus, 1983; Hunter, Becker, & Lexier, 2006; Marshall, Laws, & Barbaree, (1990), most of the research involves male sex offenders, however recently more females sex offenders are being looked at for research. Adult female sex offenders’ make up of about 24% of sexual offences committed (Cortoni & Hanson, 2005). Studies on female adolescent sex offenders are under-reported (Langstom, 2001) noted that adolescent sex offenders’ are underestimated. Lowell (2002) indicated this was due to lack of defining deviant sexual behaviors’ among young people. The problem is that past literature

As many would imagine, juveniles are often hesitant to fully admit the extent of their abuse or the actual number of victims they have created. Juvenile sex offenders who are in denial about their offenses do not typically engage in and comply with treatment (Hunter & Figueredo, 2000; Maletzky, 1991). The first step of treatment is to get the offenders to take full accountability for the actions that brought them to treatment in the first place. This process can take several months. In order to move on in most treatment programs the juveniles must take and successfully pass a full sex history polygraph. Failure to do so can result in removal from program and placement in a higher level of care and noncompliance with a court order.

Within the last few decades, pedophilia has become more prominent, especially in today’s society. Pedophilia is a crime that has destructive implications that has been going on for years now (Blanchard, 2010). With the help of the media, law enforcement and laws regarding sexual offenders, people are more aware of the crime. The awareness is of the risks that make people more likely to become a victim. However, awareness should also shed light on the predictive factors as to why people commit sexual assaults in the first place. This paper will evaluate and review the understanding and treatment programs for adult pedophiles. A simple question has been asked: What works, if anything, to lower the criminal recidivism rates of adult

The use of physical castrations began to rapidly decline with the advent of chemical castration. The chemical castration of sex offenders was first reported in the 1940s (Lee & Cho, 2013; Koo et al., 2013) and its utilization has steadily increased since. Chemical castration is used to reduce sexual desire and function, which in turn is believed to considerably reduce the risk of reoffending by decreasing sexual desire and ability (Rice & Harris, 2011). Sex offender risk assessments are not always accurate however, as they fail to account for many differences in the types of sex offenders and the stages at which they are offending (Lussier & Cale, 2013). Risk assessments are poorly designed and do not provide an accurate depiction of an offender’s dangerousness or likelihood of reoffending. This leads

The Estimate of Risk of Adolescent Sexual Offense Recidivism (ERASOR 2.0) (see appendix D), often referred to simply as the ERASOR, is an empirically guided tool that relies on the clinical judgment of professionals (Worling & Curwen, 2001, Miccio-Fonseca, 2013). Like the J-SOAP-II, the ERASOR 2.0 is also public domain. The ERASOR 2.0 is designed for use with juveniles, ages 12-18, whom must have committed a sexually based offense or assault (Worling & Curwen, 2001). Like the J-SOAP-II, the evaluator completes the ERASOR 2.0 independently after examining as much collaborative information as possible (Worling & Curwen, 2001). The ERASOR 2.0 is a 25-item tool with items falling in five categories: Sexual Interests, Attitudes, and Behaviors category; Historical Sexual Assaults category; Psychosocial Functioning category; Family/ Environmental Functioning category; and the Treatment category (Worling &

Risk management involves a format in which improvement is needed for juveniles and adults. Risk is labeled as the product of a hazard (such as damage costs) and the probability that a hazard may occur. Which change can be done over time if encouragement with the kids and adults are done with excitement and wanting to help improve such lifestyle, not have to. Difference between first time and repetitive offenders is that the law predicts/ assumes that if its a repetitive act that you deserve to be punished harsher and longer due to multiples wrong doings rather than learning right from wrong the first time. As for first time offenders, they usually get some type of lee-way for them acting upon something wrong the first time and the law agreeing

academic, mental health, and behavioral functioning. Their findings indicated that exposure to more childhood risk factors is related to more anxiety and depression symptomatology and more criminal arrests in adulthood, and these continued to increase with increased risk exposure. They also state that “children with histories of abuse and neglect completed fewer years of education, reported more symptoms of anxiety and depression, and were arrested more often than controls, regardless of exposure to other childhood risk factors” (Horan & Widom, 2014).

Many studies have examined the personal histories of sexual violence offenders in the hope of uncovering events that may influence the development of tendency to commit sexual offenses (Jespersen, Lalumière, & Seto, 2009). One of the most frequently discussed events in explanations of adolescent sexual violence offending is the experienced of physical or sexual abuse in childhood. DeLisi et al. (2010) found that adolescence with greater childhood traumatic experiences such as physical abuse and rape victimization were significantly more likely to engage in sexual delinquency. In a comparative study of juvenile sex offenders in residential treatment with and without CSA history, Burton, Duty, and Leibowitz (2011) found that juvenile sex offenders who had been victimised had much greater psychopathology, including worse trauma histories, early exposure to pornography, sexual aggression, deviant sexual

reducing sex offender recidivism rates completed in the United States. However, one such study by Meyer, Cole, and Emory