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Factors Associated with Violence in Stalking and Obsessional Harassment Cases

NCJ Number
197984
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 29 Issue: 6 Dated: December 2002 Pages: 671-691
Author(s)
Barry Rosenfeld; Ronnie Harmon
Date Published
December 2002
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This study attempted to identify correlates of violent behavior in stalking and harassment cases.
Abstract
Determining which stalkers represent a significant risk of violence, and differentiating those individuals from the remaining offenders that may pose less risk of physical harm, has clear and significant implications for victims, clinicians, and the legal system. Data were collected from official records regarding criminal defendants referred for court-ordered forensic evaluation between January 1, 1994, and December 31, 1998. To be classified as a stalking or harassment case, the available data had to indicate a persistent and repetitive pattern of unwanted contact or harassment encompassing multiple contacts (or attempts to contact) with the victim. Univariate analyses were used to assess whether any relationship existed between violence and the 24 demographic, historical, and clinical variables measured. Among the so-called traditional correlates of violence, this study found that many were associated with violence among stalking and harassment offenders, including age, race, level of education, and estimated intelligence. Results show that stalking and harassment offenders were significantly older, better educated, and more often Caucasian than the typical offender referred for psychiatric evaluation. Although these demographic variables were more common among the sample of offenders, they were less often associated with the occurrence of violent behavior. There are higher rates of violence among offenders that stalk former spouses or intimates and those motivated primarily by revenge or anger. The presence of threats was also significantly associated with violence. Offenders with a history of substance abuse were more often violent than those without such a history. Variables such as gender, prior criminal history, and previous violent behavior were not significantly associated with violence in this sample. Criminal history and previous violence were unrelated to violence in the course of stalking and harassment cases. The presence of a psychotic disorder diagnosis and delusional beliefs regarding the victim were both associated with lower rates of violence. 2 figures, 3 tables, 4 notes, 25 references

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