NCJ Number
68546
Date Published
1978
Length
5 pages
Annotation
RESEARCH BEING CONDUCTED BY GREAT BRITAIN'S HOME OFFICE RESEARCH UNIT IS OUTLINED, AND PRELIMINARY INFORMATION ON THE RECORDED PREVALENCE OF SEXUAL OFFENSES AND THE SENTENCES IMPOSED ON SEX OFFENDERS IS REPORTED.
Abstract
THE RESEARCH PROGRAM'S INTENTIONS TO PROVIDE A WIDE RANGE OF GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT SEXUAL OFFENSES ARE DEFINED IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES, RESOURCES SOUGHT IN RELATION TO EACH OBJECTIVE, AND PROGRESS MADE. STATISTICS ARE REPORTED FROM 1973 SOURCES, REGARDING THE RECORDED PREVALENCE OF SEXUAL OFFENSES. THIS INFORMATION IS BROKEN DOWN ACCORDING TO ALL RECORDED OFFENSES, THE RATES OF INCREASE SINCE 1946, THE NUMBERS OF VICTIMS IN DIFFERENT CATEGORIES (FEMALES, MALES, JUVENILES, OR ADULTS), AND THE TYPES OF OFFENSE COMMITTED (BUGGERY, RAPE, INCEST, HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVITY, AND UNLAWFUL INTERCOURSE WITH CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF CONSENT). SEVERAL EXPLANATIONS FOR INCREASES OR DECREASES IN VARIOUS OFFENSE TYPES ARE OFFERED. FURTHER STATISTICS ILLUSTRATE THE KINDS OF SENTENCES IMPOSED FOR EACH OFFENSE. THE SERIOUSNESS OF VARIOUS SEXUAL OFFENSES IS EXAMINED BY CONSIDERING HOW MANY OF THE ADULTS CONVICTED OF EACH OFFENSE RECEIVED A CUSTODIAL SENTENCE; A TABLE FURTHER ILLUSTRATES THESE DATA. COMMON PENALTIES ARE MENTIONED FOR EACH KIND OF OFFENSE, WITH ATTENTION TO AGES OF THE OFFENDERS AND LENGTHS OF CUSTODIAL SENTENCES. FINALLY, COMMENTS ARE MADE REGARDING THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE STATISTICAL MATERIAL FOR FUTURE LAW REVISIONS.