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Abstract
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A group of male adolescent sexual offenders were divided into three groups: Courtship Disorders (Exhibitionism, Toucherism and Obscene Phone Calls), Sexual Assaults, and Pedophilic Offenses. Group I offenders tended to come from a less disorganized family background, were better adjusted to school and in the community and were seen by clinicians as less seriously disturbed than the adolescents in the other two groups. In addition, these adolescents did not experience the offense as a sexual act. Group II offenders (Sexual Assaulters) came from a more disturbed family background characterized by a high rate of long-term parent-child separations, committed more violent offenses and had a higher frequency of intellectual functioning in the Borderline Range of Intelligence. Group III offenders (Pedophilic Offenses) were Canadian born, had witnessed physical violence between their parents, were described as having been infants who did not enjoy being cuddled and had siblings who were truant. This study suggests that classifying adolescent sexual offenders along the line suggested in adult literature seems to be justified.
VioLit summary
OBJECTIVE:
The three goals of this research by Saunders et al. were to (1) replicate a previous study of male adolescent sexual offenders, (2) identify the background characteristics of the offenders, and (3) classify the type of offenders.
METHODOLOGY:
The first part of this study was quasi-experimental, utilizing a group of 24 offenders matched with a control group of same age and socioeconomic status offenders who did not commit sexual crimes. Part II of this study examines the characteristics of 63 sexual offenders without a control group. All participants came from the Toronto Family Court Clinic between 1980 and July, 1985. Unstructured face to face interviews with the boy, his parents, and his family were conducted in addition to psychological testing of the subject (WISC-R, Rorscach, T.A.T.). The subject's school, police, medical, social welfare and psychiatric records were also used. All information obtained was coded by two different people and any discrepancies were resolved. The subjects were classified into one of three groups: 1) courtship disorders (exhibitionism, toucherism, obscene phone calls), (n=20), 2) sexual assaults on peers or older victims (n=19), 3) pedophilic offenses (n=17). Seven subjects committed offenses falling into two or more groups, and were excluded from the study. Chi-square and one-way analyses were performed on the data. All data were significant to at least the p<.05 level and some data to p<.001, depending on the category.
FINDINGS/DISCUSSION:
The first part of this study did indeed replicate the results of the previous study: similarities existed between sexual offenders and non-sexual offenders in terms of their previous delinquency, school problems and psychiatric disturbances. However, the sexual offenders were less frequently truant, less often alcohol abusers, had fewer temper tantrums, and had more IQ scores below 80. In the second part of the study, the demographics of the groups were similar. There were no differences in age (14 years average), family size, offender's birth position in the family, and socioeconomic class. No statistically significant differences were found on the basis of intellectual, behavioral, or emotional disorders (DSM-III categories), nor sexual disorders between the three groups.
AUTHORS' RECOMMENDATIONS:
These data were based on a small sample size and on a cross- sectional research method and thus cannot be used for casual interpretations. The author stated, "Instead, we have come to view sexual offenses in adolescence as a sign of poor adjustment which is likely associated with, rather than caused by, a behavioral or emotional order (using these terms in the way in which they are defined in the DSM-III)." (CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado)
KW - Foreign Countries
KW - Canada
KW - Juvenile Violence
KW - Juvenile Offender
KW - Juvenile Male
KW - Male Violence
KW - Male Offender
KW - Offender Characteristics
KW - Sexual Assault Offender
KW - Sexual Assault Causes
KW - Offender Characteristics
KW - Offense Characteristics
KW - Exhibitionism
KW - Child Molester
KW - Child Sexual Abuse Offender
KW - Child Abuse Offender
KW - Rape Offender
KW - Family Background
KW - Family History
KW - Violence Against Women
Language: en |