NCJ Number
199080
Journal
Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment Volume: 15 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2003 Pages: 49-60
Date Published
January 2003
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This article examines the relationship between trait empathy and criminal versatility among 88 incarcerated adult sexual offenders.
Abstract
Researchers maintain that empathy plays a significant role in the perpetration of sexual offenses. This article presents a brief review of literature on empathy studies suggesting that trait empathy will differ according to criminal versatility versus non-versatility in sexual offenders. Examining archival records of 88 incarcerated adult male sexual offenders in the process of completing an Australian prison-based treatment program, the authors assessed data provided by an Interpersonal Reactivity Index with Perspective Taking and Fantasy and Empathic Concern and Emotional Distress subscales. Analyzing the data using one-way analysis of variance measures, the authors found that considering vast criminal versatility, there were significant associations between trait empathy and nonsexual offense convictions but not between trait empathy and sexual convictions. Furthermore, the authors found that greater involvement in violent offending was associated with lower levels of empathic concern and higher levels of fantasy, while greater involvement in miscellaneous non-violent offending was associated with lower levels of empathic concern only. The authors maintain that empathy training for sexual offenders will greatly improve by distinguishing the varied needs of criminally versatile and non-versatile sexual offenders. Tables, references