NCJ Number: 184025
Title: Prediction of Recidivism in Extrafamilial Child Molesters Based on Court-Related Assessments
Journal: Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment Volume:12 Issue:3 Dated:July 2000 Pages:203-221
Author(s): Philip Firestone; John M. Bradford; Marcia McCoy; David M. Greenberg; Susan Curry; Michel R. Larose
Date Published: July 2000
Annotation: This study monitored 192 convicted extrafamilial child molesters
for an average of 7.8 years after their conviction to determine
patterns of recidivism.
Abstract: The percentage of men who had committed a sexual, a violent, or
any criminal offense by the 12th year was 15.1, 20.3, and 41.6,
respectively. The sexual recidivists, compared with the
nonrecidivists, had more problems with alcohol and showed greater
sexual arousal to assaultive stimuli that involved children than
to mutually consenting stimuli with children. The violent
recidivists, compared with the nonrecidivists, were more likely
to have a history of violence in the families in which they were
raised and were rated significantly more psychopathic on the
Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). They also showed more
sexual arousal to stimuli that depicted mutually consenting
sexual interactions with children than to adult stimuli. In terms
of any criminal recidivism, recidivists were younger, and
completed fewer years of school, and were raised in
psychologically more harmful family environments compared with
nonrecidivists. They also reported that, before 16 years of age,
they were more likely to have been physically abused and were
more likely to have been removed from their homes compared to
those that did not recidivate. In addition, recidivists showed
more general hostility on the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory and
were rated significantly more psychopathic on the PCL-R. The
phallometric assessments revealed that the criminal recidivists,
compared to the nonrecidivists, had more sexual arousal to
stimuli that depicted coercive sexual activity with children than
consenting sexual activities with children. In addition, they
showed more sexual arousal to scenes that depicted adult rape
than adult mutually consenting sex. Finally, the recidivists also
had more charges or convictions for violence and any criminal
acts. Subjects' age, total number of criminal convictions, and
pedophile assault index were significant for the optimal
prediction of recidivism. The developed procedure correctly
classified 70.6 percent of the original group, 82.8 percent of
the nonrecidivists, and 52.6 percent of the recidivists. PCL-R
Total Score alone was equally successful in a similar
discriminant function. 1 figure, 3 tables, and 61 references
Main Term(s): Corrections effectiveness
Index Term(s): Canada; Child molesters; Comparative analysis; Recidivism causes; Recidivism prediction
Sponsoring Agency: Canada Solicitor General
Publisher: http://www.wkap.nl/journalhome.htm/1079-0632
Page Count: 19
Format: Article
Type: Report (Study/Research)
Language: English
Country: United States of America
To cite this abstract, use the following link: http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/publications/abstract.aspx?ID=184025
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