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Stereotypes and Attitudes About Child Sexual Abusers: A Comparison of Experienced and Inexperienced Professionals in Sex Offender Treatment

NCJ Number
215567
Journal
Legal and Criminological Psychology Volume: 11 Issue: 2 Dated: September 2006 Pages: 229-244
Author(s)
Kiranjeet K. Sanghara; J. Clare Wilson
Date Published
September 2006
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study investigated whether professionals involved in the treatment of sex offenders endorsed fewer stereotypes of sex offenders than an inexperienced group of teachers.
Abstract
This study demonstrated that when a group of participants inexperienced with sex offender treatment were presented with incriminating evidence against suspected perpetrators of child sexual abuse, those individuals fitting six particular stereotypes were perceived as more guilty than individuals not fitting those stereotypes. The study also demonstrated that knowledge about child abuse mediated the relationship between group membership and attitudes towards child sexual offenders. Better information about child sex abuse may assist in avoiding the detrimental effects of having negative attitudes and endorsing inaccurate stereotypes. Stereotypes about perpetrators of sexual abuse against children may allow some child sexual offenders to avoid detection. Research has found that stereotypes are formed through observation of behaviors performed by members of the stereotyped group. The differences in stereotype endorsement by the professionals who work with child sexual offenders and those that do not may be explained by the sociocultural approach to stereotyping. This study compared the attitudes and stereotypes towards child sexual offenders held by professionals involved in sex offender treatment with a group that might be involved in the reporting of child abuse, but might have little contact with child sexual offenders, specifically teachers. The study consisted of 60 professionals involved with sex offenders and 71 school teachers. After the completion of three questionnaires, mediation analyses were conducted on the relationships between the scores. Tables, figures, references and appendixes A-B

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