Beyond sexual recidivism: A review of the sexual criminal career parameters of adult sex offenders

Abstract

The current study claims that measures of sexual recidivism provide a distorted view of the criminal activity of adult sex offenders. To address this important limitation, the criminal career perspective is presented and key concepts are defined and described. The study also provides an up-to-date review of the scientific literature on various criminal career parameters of the sexual criminal activity of adult sex offenders. Hence, current empirical knowledge on the prevalence, age of onset, frequency, continuity, versatility, and desistance from sex offending is presented. The findings highlight the complexities of the sexual criminal career of adult sex offenders, and most importantly, its dynamic aspect, both of which are not captured by traditional measures of sexual recidivism. The review also underscores the importance of recognizing that sexual offending develops according to a series of stages, that, if not recognized, may lead to the underestimation of risk for some and over-estimation of risk for others. The review provides a framework to stimulate new areas of research as well as policy-development that is not limited to the identification of the "high-risk" convicted sex offenders.

Experts in rape: Evaluating the evidence for a novice-to-expert continuum in the offense behavior and cognition of sexual offenders

“…However, they were also three times as likely to have convictions for robbery, suggesting that this apparent "expertise" in forensic awareness may not stem from an expertise specific to rape and sexual assault but perhaps from a more general criminal expertise. This is consistent with findings that many if not most apprehended rapists can be considered generalist rather than specialist offenders (Lussier & Cale, 2013). It is worth noting that expert burglars, for example, have been shown to have domain specific expertise relative to other general offenders (Logie, Wright, & Decker, 1992).…”

Sex Offending and Situational Motivation

“…In recent years, this view has been challenged by research which demonstrates that, on the whole, reoffending rates for sex offending are comparatively very low (Harris and Hanson, 2004;Lussier & Cale, 2013) and a single conviction for sexual offending very rarely predicts a lifetime of predatory behavior (Lussier et al, 2010;Hanson et al, 2014). Barnett et al (2010), for example, provide 'survival curves' for a large sample of individuals convicted of sex crimes for 'proven sexual reoffending' (defined as a conviction or caution for a further sexual offence) for each of the four risk levels predicted by the Risk Matrix 2000 assessment tool 5 .…”

“…Lussier & Cale, 2013;Harris, 2014;Masson et al, 2015;Farmer et al, 2015). The semi-structured, "life story" interviews (McAdams, 1993(McAdams, , 2008 were designed to help understand the way participants made sense of their previous offending and situated this aspect of their past lives into their current self-identities.…”

Expressive and Instrumental Offending

“…These offences differ thematically from the expressive violent crimes; they are not about the victim but obtaining gain for the offender. Moreover, it has been previously noted that Sexual Offenders rarely follow the 'natural' career some might assume, such as previous convictions for voyeurism and indecent exposure, rather many convicted rapists do quite often have convictions for theft and violence (Canter, 1994;Lussier & Cale, 2013;Soothill, et al, 2002).…”