NCJ Number
146987
Journal
Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 2 Issue: 4 Dated: (1993) Pages: 43-60
Date Published
1993
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This study examined the reactions of 58 probation/parole officers and 32 therapists to the explanations that perpetrators of child sexual abuse offered for their deviant behavior.
Abstract
The participants all worked in the Toronto, Ontario, Canada area. They reviewed a questionnaire describing nine hypothetical scenarios in which a 37-year-old man pleaded guilty or not guilty to charges of sexual assault against his 9-year-old step-daughters. They rated the various explanations given for the sexual abuse. Among these were that the incident was innocent play, that the incident did not occur, that the perpetrator was possessed by a devil, that the victim enjoyed it, and that the perpetrator loses control when drinking alcohol. Results revealed that almost all participants changed their perceptions of an offender's culpability based on the accounts provided. The therapists were less likely than probation officers to believe the child molesters' attempts to attribute responsibility to external sources. Findings suggested that authorities are most likely to be sympathetic to accounts that are perceived as credible and that minimize the offenders' responsibility for their offenses. Findings also suggested that identifying the factors that make accounts relatively acceptable can aid in the effective management of child molesters and other offenders. Table and 34 references