NCJ Number
173465
Date Published
1996
Length
34 pages
Annotation
This assessment tool, designed to detect the risk that released adult sex offenders will commit more sex crimes, measures deviant sexual interests and assesses most dangerous and least dangerous adult sex offenders.
Abstract
The tool specifically measures interest in children, sexual violence against adult men, sexual violence against adult women, and sadism. The tool consists of a computer, a slide projector, slides, and specialized software and is a computer-driven psychological test that gives an objective reaction time measure. The adult sits at a computer and views 160 slides of clothed adults, teenagers, young children, and very young children, while reaction time is measured beyond his or her awareness. The greatest advantage of using reaction time to assess the sexual interests of adult sex offenders is that some adults cannot or will not validly report their sexual interests. The adult also completes a questionnaire and provides a detailed past history of his or her arrests, convictions, accusations, number of attempts at sexual crimes, and number of victims. In addition, the adult provides information on age of onset, degree of control, and current interest in 24 sexual deviations. Information from the computer session and the questionnaire makes it possible to divide adult sex offenders into discrete groups for purposes of treatment and surveillance strategies based on dangerousness and likelihood of committing sex crimes again. Reliability and validity aspects of the assessment tool are discussed, as well as the potential for falsifying answers to conceal sexual interest patterns. A method for organizing, evaluating, and treatment sex offenders in prison and on parole is described.