NCJ Number
49142
Date Published
1975
Length
11 pages
Annotation
THE CLASSIFICATION, TREATMENT, AND SOME POPULAR MISCONCEPTIONS REGARDING SEXUAL DEVIANTS ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
IT IS NOTED THAT MUCH OF THE EXPERIMENTAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SEXUAL OFFENDERS HAS BEEN DERIVED FROM CONVICTED AND INCARCERATED SEX OFFENDERS, WHO ARE CONSIDERED TO CONSTITUTE A DISTINCT AND BIASED SAMPLE OF THOSE WHO ENGAGE IN LEGALLY PROHIBITED SEXUAL ACTS. A STUDY BY ELLIS AND BRANCALE OF THE FIRST 300 SEX OFFENDERS SEEN AT THE NEW JERSEY DIAGNOSTIC CENTER IS MENTIONED AS PROVIDING IMPORTANT DATA ABOUT SUCH OFFENDERS. THE CLASSIFICATION OF SEX OFFENDERS DERIVED FROM THAT STUDY, WHICH INCLUDED NORMAL SEX OFFENDERS (FORNICATION, ADULTERY) AND NONDEVIANT OFFENDERS (WELL-INTEGRATED PERSONALITIES WHO DERIVE SEXUAL GRATIFICATION FROM 'ABNORMAL' ACTS SUCH AS HOMOSEXUALITY), IS REPORTED AND BRIEFLY DISCUSSED. SEXUAL DEVIATIONS ARE CLASSIFIED BY THE AUTHOR OF THIS PRESENTATION INTO TWO MAIN GROUPS: (1) CASES WHERE THE DEVIATION IS IN THE WAY IN WHICH SEXUALITY IS EXPRESSED, EVEN THOUGH DIRECTED TOWARD ADULTS OF THE OPPOSITE SEX (EXHIBITIONISM, VOYEURISM, SADISM, MASOCHISM, AND FROTTAGE); AND (2) DEVIATIONS WHERE THE SEXUAL DRIVE IS DIRECTED TOWARD AN ABNORMAL OBJECT (HOMOSEXUALITY, PEDOPHILIA, FETISHISM, TRANSVESTISM, AND BESTIALITY). EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES IS CONSIDERED TO HAVE DEGREES OF DEVIATION, WHICH ARE PRESENTED IN THREE BROAD INCREMENTS. THE DEGREE OF SEVERITY OF ANY GIVEN DEVIANCY IS BELIEVED IMPORTANT IN SETTING THE TREATMENT APPROACH. THE LIKELIHOOD OF FAVORABLE TREATMENT FOR THE VARYING DEGREES OF DEVIANCY IS DISCUSSED. IT IS NOTED THAT DURING THE PAST FEW YEARS, SOME VERY PROMISING RESULTS HAVE BEEN OBTAINED FROM THE APPLICATION OF LEARNING THEORY-BASED THERAPEUTIC TECHNIQUES WITHIN INSTITUTIONAL SETTINGS. WHILE SUCH WORK HAS THUS FAR BEEN DONE IN MENTAL HOSPITALS, IT IS BELIEVED PRISON ENVIRONMENTS WOULD BE EQUALLY SUITABLE. BEHAVIOR CONTROL IN THE PROCESS OF BRINGING ABOUT BEHAVIORAL CHANGE IS EMPHASIZED. SOME COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS REGARDING SEXUAL OFFENDERS ARE LISTED AND BRIEFLY DISCUSSED, AND THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL ON SEXUALLY DEVIANT BEHAVIOR IS MENTIONED. A GRAPH ILLUSTRATES THE KINSEY HETEOSEXUAL-HOMOSEXUAL RATING SCALE. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)