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Affiliation
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Sexual Behavior Clinic, New York State Psychiatric Institute, 10032 New York, New York; College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, 10027 New York, New York, USA |
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Abstract
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Adolescent incest sexual perpetrators seen at an out-patient clinic were interviewed regarding demographic characteristics and occurrence of deviant and nondeviant sexual behaviors. Results indicate that subjects (1) committed more sexual crimes than they had been arrested for, (2) reported a very early onset of sexual behavior, (3) had additional DSM-III psychiatric disorders, and (4) reported previous sexual victimization. Recommendations for future research are made.
VioLit summary:
OBJECTIVE:
The objective of this study by Becker et al. was to provide descriptive data on the characteristics of adolescent incest sexual perpetrators who were referred to a New York State Psychiatric Institute out-patient, community-based treatment program for either evaluation and/or treatment.
METHODOLOGY:
This is a quasi-experimental one-shot survey of 22 non-randomly selected adolescent males age 13-18 who had been charged or convicted of a sexual crime against a family member. Incest is defined as sexual contact between any two persons, biological or not, living in a family environment and recognized as a family member. A psychologist interviewed each participant using a structured clinical method focusing on the subject's family, criminal, and sexual histories. A psychiatrist also interviewed the subjects using a modified version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III diagnoses which includes items from Kiddie-SADs. No special data analysis methods were used.
FINDINGS/DISCUSSION:
1) Demographic Characteristics: Fifty-four percent were black, 32% Hispanic, and 14% Caucasian. 2) Thirty-two of the subjects lived with both parents, 32% with their mothers only, 14% with legal guardians, 9% with other relatives, 4.5% alone, and 4.5% in an adolescent shelter. 3) Prior Arrests: Fifty percent had not been arrested for crimes other than sexual ones, 27% had been arrested once, 9% arrested twice, 9% arrested 3 times, and 4.5% arrested more than 15 times. Twenty-seven percent had no previous sexual arrests, 64% had been arrested once, 9% arrested twice. Out of 16 total arrests, 10 resulted in convictions, 4 were pending, and 2 cases were dismissed. 4) Psychiatric Disorders: Twelve had conduct disorders, five attention deficit disorders, two adjustment disorders, two social phobias, one dysthymia, and one post-traumatic stress disorder. Five subjects had no DSM-III disorders. 5) Prior Victimization: Fourteen percent reported prior physical abuse from their fathers, who used belts. Twenty-three percent reported having been sexually abused as children. 6) Nondeviant Sexual Experiences: Ninety-five percent reported prior experience; the first experience occurred at 10.3 years on the average. All subjects described themselves as heterosexual. 7) Incest Diagnoses: Twenty-three percent of the subjects admitted to the full (reported) act. 45.5% admitted to part of the act, and 32% denied the entire act. Seventy-seven percent of the subjects were pedophiles (victim was <= 5 years younger). Thirty-seven acts were committed against 18 victims. Fourteen percent of the subjects committed incest rapes, 9% committed consensual incest. Six additional incest offenses were reported: 1 of pedophilia, three incest rapes, 1 case of exhibitionism,and 1 case of voyeurism. A total of 415 completed incest crimes and 13 attempted incest crimes were committed by the 22 adolescents on 39 victims. One adolescent accounted for 229 of those crimes. 8) Six nonincest sexual crimes were reported: 2 of pedophilia, 1 adult rape, 1 of frottage, 2 of voyeurism, 2 of mooning, 1 of obscene phone calls. Participants in this study generally committed more crimes than they were arrested for, had an early onset of sexual behavior, had additional DSM-III psychiatric disorders, and reported prior sexual victimization.
AUTHORS' RECOMMENDATIONS:
The authors state that care must be taken in generalizing since the subjects in this study were primarily inner-city minority juveniles from lower socio-economic strata. The self-reported data on deviant sexual activity may be underestimated, while on nondeviant sexual activity it may be overestimated. Further research is needed to determine the relationship between prior victimization and the development of deviant sexual behavior, and to identify at-risk juveniles. An explanatory theory needs to be developed. (CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado)
KW - New York
KW - Juvenile Male
KW - Juvenile Offender
KW - Juvenile Violence
KW - Sexual Assault Offender
KW - Male Offender
KW - Male Violence
KW - Domestic Violence Offender
KW - Incest Offender
KW - Child Abuse Offender
KW - Child Sexual Abuse Offender
KW - Early Adolescence
KW - Late Adolescence
KW - Offender Characteristics
KW - Psychosexual Behavior
KW - Psychosexual Factors
KW - Childhood Experience
KW - Childhood Victimization
KW - Demographic Characteristics
KW - Mental Illness
KW - Mentally Ill Juvenile
KW - Mentally Ill Offender
KW - Family History
KW - Child Abuse Victim
KW - Child Abuse Effects
KW - Victim Turned Offender
KW - Child Physical Abuse Effects
KW - Child Physical Abuse Victim
KW - Child Sexual Abuse Effects
KW - Child Sexual Abuse Victim
KW - Sexual Assault Effects
KW - Sexual Assault Victim |