Posted by anovagrrl on March 18, 2004 at 14:23:00
In Reply to: Is there a difference? posted by Curious on March 18, 2004 at 13:11:42:
Many criminologists and clinical practitioners distinguish between types of sexual offenders. A major reason for classifying types of sexual perpetrators is to determine the most effective response to control the behavior. A second reason is for risk management.
Response options are prison (punishment), parole or probation (behavioral contracts & community supervision), psychiatry (medications: chemical castration), various talk therapies (family therapy, individual counseling, group work, etc.).
If you punish someone with a prison sentence, what is the risk of him reoffending after he is released? How do you know when chemical castration (injection with Depro Provera) is the best possible option? Do all perpetrators need to agree to a treatment that lowers testosterone and aggressive urges in order to effectively manage the risk of them re-offending after they are released?
An online study of typology in relation to response options & risk management is found at:
http://www.iuscrim.mpg.de/forsch/krim/woessner_e.html
The Catholic Diocese of Sheffield (GB) published a brief typology of sexual offenders in their policy document on child sexual abuse. On page 14 of the PDF they cite the Centre for Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence, Information on Sexual Offenders, 1992:
"The Centre for the Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence, in its literature, roughly divided sexual offenders into two types: the 'wanderer' and the 'predator'. 'Predator' would signify an exploitative pattern of sexual behaviour involving differntials of power that is pathological, cyclical, recurrent and enduring. 'Wanderder' is characterized as someone who wanders into sexual misconduct almost by accident, more out of naivety and vulnerability than out of any deep-seated repetitive pathology." <http://www.sheffield-diocese.org.uk/resources/Section%2006.pdf>
The terms/concepts I was taught to use to make a distinction between the types of offenders are "Fixated" and "Regressed", with "fixated" being analogous to the "predator" and "regressed" being individuals who offend as a consequence of traumatic situational stressors.
It is generally held that the "regressed" offender is more amenable to rehabilitation than the "predator." Psychiatrists would be more inclined to prescribe chemical castration for a "predator," less inclined to do so for a "regressed" offender.
Listed below are some distinctions between the two types:
Fixated: Primary sexual orientation is to children.
Regressed: Primary sexual orientation is to age mates
Fixated: Pedophilic interests begin at adolescence.
Regressed: Pedophilic interests emerge in adulthood.
Fixated: No precipitive stress/no subjective distress.
Regressed: Precipitating stress usually evident.
Fixated: Persistent interest and compulsive behavior.
Regressed: Involvements may be more episodic and may wax and wane with stress.
Fixated: Premeditated, pre-planned offenses.
Regressed: Initial offense may be impulsive and not pre-planned.
Fixated: Male victims are primary targets.
Regressed: Female victims are primary targets.
Fixated: Little or no sexual contact initiated with age mates; offender is usually single or in a marriage of convenience.
Regressed: Sexual contact with a child coexists with sexual contact with age mates; offender is usually married or common-law.
Fixated: Usually no history of alcohol or drug abuse. Offense is not alcohol related.
Regressed: Offense is often alcohol related.
Fixated: Characterological immaturity; poor sociosexual peer relationships.
Regressed: More traditional lifestyle but under-developed peer relationships.
Fixated: Offending is a maladaptive resolution of life development (maturation) issues.
Regressed: Offending is a maladaptive attempt to cope with specific life stresses.
Fixated: IDENTIFICATION: Offender identifies closely with the victim and equalizes his behavior to the level of the child and/or adopts a pseudo-parental role to the victim.
Regressed: SUBSTITUTION: Offender replaces conflictual adult relationship with involvement with a child; victim is a pseudo-adult substitute and in incest situations the offender abandons his parental role.
I found this material online at: <http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/pbanning/Break-C/BC-Ch5.htm#Pedophile%20-%20Regress%20&%20Fixated>