Sexual Offenders: What the Research Reveals

1. Sexual Offenders: What the Research Reveals Franca Cortoni, Ph.D., C.Psych. School of Criminology University of Montreal Association Paroling Authorities International Audio Conference May 28, 2008

2. Sexual Offenders Understanding Recidivism Risk Assessment Treatment Circles of Support & Accountability Female Sexual Offenders Conclusions

3. Understanding Recidivism(aka - Not all male sexual offenders are the same!!!)

4. Average International Recidivism Rates – Male S.O. • 13.5% sexual (N = 23,494) • 25.5% any violent (N = 13,427) • 35.5% any recidivism (N = 18,167) Average follow-up of 5 years Hanson & Morton (2003)

5. Sexual Recidivism by Type of Victims Harris & Hanson (2004)

6. Evaluation of Risk of Sexual Recidivism

7. “The prototypical sexual recidivist is not upset or lonely; instead he leads an unstable, antisocial lifestyle and ruminates on sexually deviant themes” (p.1158; Hanson & Morton-Bourgon, 2005)

8. Why Risk Assessment? • Evaluation informs on the level of risk posed by the offender & informs on when the offender may be most at risk of reoffending • Informs on treatment needs • Provide strategies for supervision to promote the effective management of the offender’s risk.

9. Types of Risk of Recidivism • General recidivism (i.e., non-violent and non-sexual) • Violent recidivism (may or may not include sexual recidivism) • Sexual recidivism

10. Evaluation of Risk of Sexual Recidivism • Evaluation of risk of sexual recidivism always take into consideration static & dynamic risk factors • Risk factors are individual characteristics that increase or decrease the probability of recidivism

11. Static Risk Factors • Historical factors that have been demonstrated to relate to recidivism potential. • These are non-changeable aspects of the offender.

12. Dynamic Risk Factors • Factors associated with recidivism but that are amenable to change. • These are the issues that are addressed in treatment.

13. Dynamic Risk Factors (cont.) • Stable: Enduring changeable characteristics linked to the offending behavior. • Acute: Rapidly changing changeable characteristics; may indicate that a reoffense will occur within a short period of time • Some factors may be both stable and acute

14. Established Static Risk Factors for Sexual and Violent Recidivism among Sexual Offenders • Young • Single • No current romantic relationship • Total criminal history Hanson & Morton-Bourgon, 2004

15. Established Risk Factors for Violent Recidivism among Sexual Offenders • Antisocial orientation • History of rule violation • History of violent crime • Lifestyle instability • Substance abuse • Cluster B Personality Disorders (antisocial, narcissistic, borderline) Hanson & Morton-Bourgon, 2004

16. Factors Unrelated to Violent Recidivism among Sexual Offenders • Psychosis, major mental illness • Internalizing psychological disorders • Depression; anxiety Hanson & Morton-Bourgon, 2004

17. Established Risk Factors for Sexual Recidivism Sexual criminal history • Prior sexual offences • Early onset of sexual crimes • Diverse sexual crimes • Victim characteristics • Unrelated • Strangers • Male • Non-contact sexual offences Hanson & Morton-Bourgon, 2004

18. continued… Sexual deviance • Any deviant sexual interest • Children • Paraphilias • Sexual preoccupations • Attitudes tolerant of sexual assault Hanson & Morton-Bourgon, 2004

19. continued… Lifestyle instability / general criminality • History of rule violation (lack of compliance with supervision) • Antisocial attitudes • Antisocial traits • Impulsivity, hostility Hanson & Morton-Bourgon, 2004

20. continued… Relationship Issues: • Problematic intimate relationships (conflict with intimate partner) • Emotional identification with children Hanson & Morton-Bourgon, 2004

21. Factors Not Related to Sexual Recidivism • Victim empathy • Denial/minimization of sexual offence • Lack of motivation for treatment • Internalizing psychological problems • Anxiety; depression; low self-esteem • Sexually abused as a child • Sexual intrusiveness (e.g., intercourse) Hanson & Morton-Bourgon, 2004

22. Risk Assessment Tools:Specific Examples

23. Young Age (- 25 y.) Never married Non-sexual violence in index offence Prior non-sexual violent convictions Prior sexual offences Prior sentencing dates Non-contact sexual offences Stranger victims Unrelated victims Male victims The STATIC-99 – Static Factors Hanson & Thornton, 1999

24. The STABLE: Dynamic Factors • Intimacy Deficits • Significant Social Influences • Attitudes supportive of Sexual Assault • Sexual Self-regulation • General Self-regulation • Lack of Cooperation with Supervision Hanson & Harris (2000 & ongoing)

25. The ACUTE: Dynamic Factors • Substance Abuse • Emotional Collapse • Collapse of Social Supports • Hostility* • Sexual Preoccupation* • Victim Access* • Rejection of Supervision* Hanson & Harris, 2000 & ongoing

26. Are Acute Factors specifically useful in predicting recidivism? Yes – all acute factors related to recidivism, but most powerful: • Sexual Preoccupation • Victim Access • Hostility • Rejection of Supervision Hanson, Harris, Scott, & Helmus, 2007

27. Treatment

28. Treatment Current standards: • Treatment is based on behavioural strategies, including cognitive-behavioural, social learning, modelling, and skill building. Goals of Treatment: • To address in treatment the dynamic risk factors leading to the sexually offending behavior • To understand the behavioral progression to the offense • To develop a self-management plan

29. Treatment Targets • Cognitive issues : Schemas about themselves; others; and the world (includes attitudes; beliefs; distortions of the offending behavior & victims) • Sexual Self-Regulation (including arousal management) • General Self-Regulation • Intimacy & Relationships • Emotions Management • Social & Interpersonal Functioning • Understanding of behavioural progression & self-management strategies

30. Behavioral Progression • A predictable series of events & situations • Combined with cognitive & emotional states • That leads to sexual offending

31. A Self Management Plan Should… • …establish positive goals incompatible with offending • …develop management & coping strategies for internal & external risk factors • …ensure cognitive & emotional components are present • …ensure strategies to deal with deviant arousal are included if necessary • …include a support network • …be concrete but generalizable.

32. Treatment Effectiveness

33. Treatment Effectiveness • In the Canadian correctional system, research shows that treated sexual offenders (of all risk levels) consistently demonstrate a 50% reduction in reoffending • International research on the effectiveness of treatment for sexual offenders also shows similar reductions when treatment is based on current standards. 33

34. International Findings - ATSA Collaborative Database

35. The Importance of Completing Treatment

36. Recidivism & Treatment Attrition • ATSA Collaborative Database (Hanson et al., 2002): • 18 studies found the same results: • offenders who start but fail to complete treatment have consistently higher rates of recidivism than those who completed or refused treatment.

37. Managing the risk in the community:Circles of Support & Accountability(CoSAs)

38. Circles of Support & Accountability

39. CoSAs Mission Statement To substantially reduce the risk of future sexual victimization of community members by assisting and supporting released men in their task of integrating with the community and leading responsible, productive, and accountable lives.

40. Are CoSAs Effective? Study 1:Wilson, Pricheca, & Prinzo (2005) Follow-up= 4.5 years Study 2:Wilson, Cortoni & Vermani (2007) Follow-up = 3 years

41. Female Sexual Offenders

42. Female Sexual Offenders • Tremendous advances in the knowledge of risk assessment for adult male sexual offenders. • In contrast, little is known about risk assessment & treatment of female sexual offenders. • Not only are the risk factors unknown, but there has been little research on the recidivism base rates for female sexual offenders.

43. Proportion of Sexual Offenders who are Women Two general sources of information from 5 countries: 1) Official police or Court reports of offender gender 2) Victimization surveys • Overall, results showed that women appear to be responsible for approximately 4% to 5% of all sexual offences • These indicate a ratio of approximately 20 male to 1 female sexual offenders based on both official reports and victimization surveys Cortoni & Hanson (2005)

44. Average International RecidivismRates of Female Sexual Offenders • The sexual recidivism rate of 1.0% after 5 years (3/306) • The violent recidivism rate (including sexual) of 6.3% (12/191) • The general recidivism rate (including sexual & violent) of 20.2% (68/337) Cortoni & Hanson (2005)

45. Canadian Recidivism Study 61 women convicted of sexual offenses • 7.56 years follow-up (.08 - 22.14 y.) • 32.8% re-offended (N=20) • 7 / 20 committed a violent offense • 2 / 7 committed a new sexual offense Williams & Nicholaichuk (2001)

46. Tentative Risk Factors of Female Sexual Offenders ** • Prior sexual offences • Acted alone (no male accomplice ) • Unrelated victim ** Difficult to provide clear empirical evidence ** Must pay attention to general risk factors among female offenders in addition to those for sexual recidivism since no other method of risk assessment

47. Conclusions: Putting it all Together!

48. Risk Assessment: Points to Remember • Risk is not a static state. It fluctuates with changes in dynamic risk factors. • Actuarial risk level provides the long term potential of recidivism. • Dynamic risk factors provide indications of problematic areas that can be addressed to manage the risk. • Acute risk factors provide indications about when sexual recidivism may occur.

49. Start with the Right Information: • Gather all relevant facts – look for: • static risk • dynamic risk • targeting of dynamic risk factors in treatment & outcome re: dynamic risk factors, skills • indicators of manageability of risk • community support • indicators of deterioration

50. Reviewing Risk Information: • Consider long-term (static) risk • Consider dynamic risk factors in individual case • Consider risk for non-sexual recidivism separately • Apply weight to actuarial and structured empirically based assessments - not to unstructured clinical judgment of risk (i.e., based on traditional models of psychopathology)