Invoking Sympathy: Assessment and Treatment of Empathy Deficits Among Sexual Offenders (From Sex Offender: New Insights, Treatment Innovations and Legal Developments, Volume II, P 1-1 to 1-12, 1997, Barbara K. Schwartz and Henry R. Cellini, eds. - See NCJ-167745)

• NCJ Number: 167745
• Author(s): R K Hanson
• Date Published: 1997
• Length: 12 pages
• Sale Source: Civic Research Institute, Inc
• Publication Type: Report (Technical Assistance)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

This paper examines techniques for sex offender assessment and treatment with respect to empathy for the victim and others.

Abstract

The goal of victim empathy treatment for sex offenders is to develop caring, compassionate responses to victims. Such sympathetic responses are most likely when the offender (1) can develop a caring or benign relationship with the victim, (2) can engage in accurate perspective taking, and (3) has the ability to cope constructively with the suffering of others. Accurately understanding the suffering of the victim will not lead to sympathy if offenders feel that their victims deserve to suffer, however. Therefore, each of these three areas should be assessed separately, and distinct interventions for each area may be necessary. Addressing offenders' desire to hurt others requires addressing the factors that contribute to their adversarial relationships with potential victims. The sex offense history, offenders' own accounts, attitude questionnaires, detailed social histories, Factor I of the Psychopathy Checklist, the Child Empathy Test, video vignettes are among the available assessment techniques. 46 references