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Psychopathy, Intelligence, and Recidivism in Child Molesters: Evidence of an Interaction Effect

NCJ Number
223327
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior: An International Journal Volume: 35 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2008 Pages: 683-695
Author(s)
Sarah M. Beggs; Randolph C. Grace
Date Published
June 2008
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study examined the relationships between intelligence, psychopathy, and offending in a sample of child molesters who completed a prison-based treatment program.
Abstract
Regression analyses show that psychopathy was related to every offending outcome: sexual and nonsexual offense history and sexual, violent, and general recidivism. Although intelligence was not significantly related to offending, the interaction between intelligence and psychopathy was significant for each recidivism variable. Intelligence may moderate the relationship between psychopathy, as measured by the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), and reoffending in child molesters, particularly for sexual recidivism. The failure to find a corresponding interaction between intelligence and actuarial risk suggests that the effect is specific to psychopathy; offenders with relatively low intelligence and high psychopathy scores were more than four times as likely to have received a sexual reconviction as other offenders. The results have implications for the practice of risk assessment among child sex offenders, particularly the importance of taking an offender’s level of intelligence into account. Data were collected from 216 males who completed the Kia Marama program at Rolleston Prison, Christchurch, New Zealand between 1993 and 2000. Kia Marama is a 32-week prison-based treatment program based on cognitive-behavioral and relapse-prevention principles. Participants attend 3-hour group treatment sessions three times per week and reside in the adjacent therapeutic community unit. Tables, references