RT Article
T1 Understanding male sexual offending: a comparison of general and specialist theories
JF Criminal justice and behavior
VO 36
IS 10
SP 1051
OP 1069
A1 Harris, Danielle Arlanda
A1 Mazerolle, Paul
A1 Knight, Raymond A.
A2 Mazerolle, Paul
A2 Knight, Raymond A.
LA English
YR 2009
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1888592591
AB Previous research has explored whether criminological theories can account for the apparently specialized behaviors of sexual offenders. One perspective proposes that criminals are versatile, engaging in an array of antisocial behaviors. The alternative perspective, more common in sexual offending research, is that sexual offenders (especially child molesters) engage in sexual offenses exclusively or predominantly. This study examined 374 male sexual offenders referred for civil commitment. Offenders were compared by crime classification and level of specialization and were assessed on a selection of variables that measured general criminality and sexual deviance. Specialization level was a stronger group discriminator than offender classification. Versatile offenders were significantly more likely than specialist offenders to present with generic antisocial behaviors predicted by traditional criminology. Specialist offenders reported more indicators of sexual deviance than versatile offenders. The theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.
K1 Sexual Offending
K1 Specialization
K1 child molester
K1 rapist
K1 Theory
DO 10.1177/0093854809342242