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                            Library & Multimedia
 Understanding Male Sexual Offending: A Comparison of General and Specialist Theories
NCJ Number
              228845
Journal

*Criminal Justice and Behavior* Volume: 36 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2009 Pages: 1051-1069
Author(s)
          Danielle A. Harris;
                        Paul Mazerolle;
                        Raymond A. Knight
Date Published

October 2009
Length
              19 pages
Annotation
              This study explored the value of two different theoretical perspectives in explaining the offending behaviors of a sample of men convicted of sexual offenses and referred for civil commitment.
Abstract
              This study explored the relevance of two distinct theoretical perspectives: Gottfredson and Hirschi's (1990) overtly generalist theory and Laws and Marshall's (1990) considerably more specifically focused theory of sexual offending. Results illustrate the applicability of a generalist theoretical perspective to an apparently extremely specialized population. Although some meaningful differences were detected between child molesters and rapists, differences between groups on the variables examined were more substantial when versatile and specialist offenders were compared. A distinct group of specialist child molesters emerged. It was argued that the general theory of crime was useful in explaining the versatile offenders who constituted the majority of the sample. It was also proposed that a second, more sexually specific explanation might be necessary to account for the offending behaviors of a much smaller group of specialist child molesters. Theoretical implications of the findings are discussed. Data were collected from 374 men convicted of a sexual offense and evaluated at the Massachusetts Treatment Center for Sexually Dangerous Persons (MTC) between 1959 and 1984. Tables and references
      
  
          Additional Details
Grant Number(s)
        2003-WG-BX-1002


  
  
        
  Agencies
        NIJ-Sponsored


  
  
        
  Publication Type
        Report (Study/Research)


  
  
        
  Award
        Evaluating & Improving Risk Assessment & Schemes for Sexual
    
  
  
Date Published: October 1, 2009
    
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Related Datasets
        
                      http://dx.doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR25928
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      PatentsRelated Topics
        
                Child molesters
        Male offenders
        Rapists
        Sex offenders
        Social and Behavioral Science



  
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