ALTHOUGH THERE IS A TENDENCY TO VIEW SEX OFFENDERS AS PERVERTED, DEVIANT PEOPLE WHOSE BEHAVIOR IS TOTALLY UNLIKE THAT OF NORMAL MEN, EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT SEX OFFENDERS DO NOT EXHIBIT IMPULSES UNKNOWN TO NORMAL MEN. ALTHOUGH THE SEX OFFENDER'S IMPULSES MAY BE STRONGER AND SUBJECT TO FEWER INHIBITIONS, THE SEX OFFENDER IS NOT A FREAK. MANY SEX OFFENDERS, NOT WANTING TO BE LABELLED DEVIANT, ATTEMPT TO JUSTIFY THEIR BEHAVIOR, OFTEN CLAIMING TO HAVE BEEN DRUNK. INVESTIGATORS SHOULD GO ALONG WITH SUCH DENIALS RATHER THAN URGING SUSPECTS TO ADMIT TO DEVIANCY. EXHIBITIONISTS, MORE THAN MOST OFFENDERS, DENY THEIR DEVIANCE. CERTAIN CUES TO THE LIKELIHOOD OF ASSAULTIVE AND DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR ON THE PART OF EXHIBITIONISTS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. CHILD MOLESTORS MAY BE CATEGORIZED AS FIXATED-PASSIVE, REGRESSED, FIXATED-AGGRESSIVE, OR EXPLOITIVE. RAPISTS MAY BE CATEGORIZED AS FOLLOWS: DISPLACED AGGRESSION; COMPENSATORY; SEX-AGGRESSION FUSION; OR IMPULSE. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENSE AND THE OFFENDER IN EACH CATEGORY ARE SUMMARIZED. SUCH INFORMATION CAN BE COMBINED WITH INFORMATION ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF A PARTICULAR OFFENSE TO DEDUCE THE LIKELY PERSONAL AND SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENDER.