Comparing the developmental and behavioural characteristics of female and male juveniles who present with sexually abusive behaviour

Abstract

Relatively few studies have compared female and male juveniles who sexually abuse. These studies have reported that while female juveniles with sexually abusive behaviour are more likely to have experienced childhood sexual abuse, they display similar patterns of abusive behaviour. However, to date these findings have not been replicated in a UK sample. The current study compared 22 female and 254 male juveniles, referred to a UK specialist community forensic service, in relation to family environment, maltreatment experience, psychiatric diagnoses and perpetrated abusive behaviour. Consistent with previous studies perpetrated behaviour was similar across genders, but females were significantly more likely to have been sexually victimized as children, at a younger age and by a greater number of abusers. In addition, they were more likely to have been exposed to inadequate sexual boundaries at home. These findings suggest that females and males may follow different pathways to sexually abusive behaviour.     

Adult female victims of child sexual abuse: multitype maltreatment and disclosure characteristics related to subjective health

This study examined the impact of child sexual abuse and disclosure characteristics on adult psychological and psychosomatic symptoms. Data on abuse characteristics, disclosure-related events, and subjective health were collected through semistructured interviews and questionnaires from 123 adult women reporting having been sexually abused in childhood by someone close. The results indicate that disclosure-related events have a stronger relation than abuse characteristics to long-term consequences of childhood sexual abuse. In particular, a positive reaction from a partner was related to fewer symptoms. Of the abuse characteristics, exposure also to physical abuse was strongly associated to psychological sequelae.     

The long-term effects of child sexual abuse by female perpetrators: a qualitative study of male and female victims

Although the long-term effects of sexual abuse by men have been studied extensively, minimal research has explored the effects of sexual abuse by women. This qualitative study explores the experience and long-term impact of sexual abuse by women. The data were derived from in-depth interviews with 14 adult victims (7 men, 7 women) of child sexual abuse by females. Most respondents reported severe sexual abuse by their mothers. The vast majority of participants reported that the experience of female-perpetrated sexual abuse was harmful and damaging. As a result of the sexual abuse, male and female respondents reported long-term difficulties with substance abuse, self-injury, suicide, depression, rage, strained relationships with women, self-concept and identity issues, and a discomfort with sex. In light of the popular and professional perceptions that sexual abuse by women is relatively harmless as compared to sexual abuse by men, the implications of these long-term effects are discussed, particularly in relation to professionals working in the area of child sexual abuse.     

Coping with crime: Individual female responses

Freedom from personal attack and security of one's personal possessions are goals to which almost everyone subscribes ¾ from the derelicts clutching their bottles of cheap wine to millionaires worried about intrusions into their mansions. Reducing the risk of crime against our homes, our property and ourselves is a goal about which much consensus exists (Levine, et al., 1980: 22). Since formal means of crime control through the Criminal Justice Agencies only have been found to be ineffective, women must turn to community‐oriented policing as a welcome alternative for self‐protection. This article discusses the strategies women employ to cope with the rising incidence of crime.     

Sexual abuse by educators: a comparison between male and female teachers who sexually abuse students

ABSTRACT

The study aimed to identify the differences in case characteristics and typologies of female and male teachers who perpetrated sexual abuse on students. Decisions of sexual misconduct reports in England from June 2006 to December 2016 were used. Quantitative and qualitative content analysis was conducted on 20 cases of male and female teacher sexual misconduct (N?=?40). Regarding case characteristics, most were secondary school or college teachers, mid-career, with victims of the opposite sex. For differences, male teachers were older and more likely to have: perpetrated more severe and lengthier sexual abuse and previously received warnings. Interestingly, females and males were similar across the preliminary typology: minimisers and deniers; poor mental health or stressors; and young, early career. However, a fourth group of females emerged: “I was overpowered”. The study furthers the understanding of sexual misconduct by teachers and should assist in the development of policies, guidelines, and legislation around prevention.     

Morphofunctional changes of external male genitalia in alcoholism and substance abuse

The external male genitals (EMG) of male corpses, who abused alcohol and narcotics at lifetime, were examined. The objects were stained according to the common histological and histochemical methods. The study results are indicative of a high frequency rate of pathologic changes of the EMG in persons, who abused alcohol and narcotics at lifetime. The inflammatory, fibrosing and atrophic changes of the EMG as well as a reduced vascular permeability can be a cause for erection malfunction.     

Prison misconduct among female inmates with mental disorders,substance abuse/dependence,and co-occurring disorders in Taiwan

This survey study attempted to address two research questions: (1) whether female inmates with either singular mental illness or singular substance abuse/dependence disorders were more likely to break institutional rules in prison than their disorder-free counterparts; and (2) whether female inmates with both mental illness and substance abuse/dependence disorders (CODs) were more likely to engage in misbehaviour than either disorder-free or singularly disordered women during the course of their confinement. The current study employed a sample of 643 female inmates and the data for analyses contained information on inmates’ CODs, mental and substance abuse/dependence disorders, and pre-prison and prison experiences. The results showed that female inmates with CODs committed the most misconduct in prisons, but no significant effect was found on prison misconduct among inmates with singular disorders and disorder-free female inmates. Possible explanations for these results were suggested, and public policy implications were discussed in the concluding section.     

Sociodemographic factors, drug abuse, and other crimes: How they vary among male and female arrestees

The push for severe punishment of drug-related crimes drastically increased the prison population over the last decade. The number of female prisoners grew at a rate even higher than that of males. With incarceration rates skyrocketing, it becomes ever more important to understand exactly who is involved in the justice system. An interview study conducted in seven county jails in Ohio examined various characteristics of arrestees, comparing separately by gender the behaviors and needs of arrestees there. The Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) interview schedule and the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) constituted the major content of the questionnaire used in the present study. This questionnaire thus recorded details of arrestees' (1) criminal behavior, (2) drug use, (3) experience of drug-abuse consequences, (4) perceived needs for drug treatment, and (5) sociodemographic backgrounds. Only by identifying these factors can one gain adequate understanding of why individuals are involved in the justice system—and of what can, finally, curtail that involvement. Drug treatment and marketable-skill development have been two approaches to curtailing recidivism, and this study found that such programs alleviated arrestees' difficulties most effectively when they incorporated a gender-sensitive approach. Whether or not the interviewed arrestees were ever actually adjudicated, the identification of sociodemographic and other factors pertaining to them should provide useful insights for those seeking to deter future criminal involvement among offenders generally.     

The PCL: YV and recidivism in male and female juveniles: a follow-up into young adulthood

Adolescents, and most recently, adolescent females, have emerged as an important population in violence risk assessment and have sparked a debate regarding the downward and gendered extension of the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL:YV). This article evaluates the differential prediction of the three and four-factor models of the PCL:YV for male (n=201) and female (n=55) juvenile offenders using a prospective four and one-half year follow-up (M=3 years) study. Both models of the PCL:YV were significant predictors for boys; however, contrary to findings from studies using shorter follow-up periods, the predictive power was due primarily to the behavioral features of psychopathy. The PCL:YV was not a significant predictor of non-violent or violent recidivism for girls. This study does not lend support for the use of the PCL:YV as a risk factor for girl offenders. More research is needed to understand the application of the psychopathy construct in youth, particularly in girls.     

Police perceptions of spouse abuse: A comparison of male and female officers

The purpose of this article is to compare policewomen with policemen regarding their attitudes toward handling family fights, specifically, toward handling spouse abuse. Sixty-two policewomen responded to a questionnaire measuring their involvement, or professional concern about family fights. As hypothesized, policewomen scored significantly higher on this variable (r_pb = + .43). Although sample differences in education and other demographic variables accounted in part for this finding, police-officer gender correlated with involvement even when all other variables were controlled for. There was some evidence that identification with a feminist point-of-view and concern for the battered women were significant intervening variables that explained why policewomen scored higher on involvement. It was also found that policewomen and policemen differed in their perceptions of how policewomen handle family fights. Policemen tended to view policewomen as lacking assertiveness, while policewomen viewed themselves as more patient and understanding, and as less likely to escalate a conflict. The results of this study support the findings of an earlier study in which women in shelter homes described policewomen as more likely than male officers to be informative, to take time to listen, and to provide helpful information. It is suggested that the results of the current study could provide a basis for discussion among mixed groups of police officers concerning various approaches to handling family fights.     

Juror decision making for juveniles tried as adults: the effects of defendant age,crime type,and crime outcome

This study examined the influences of the crime type (person or property) and the crime outcome (mild or severe) on mock jurors’ verdict and sentencing decisions for adult defendants and juvenile defendants tried as adults. Jurors read a trial summary depicting a defendant charged with aggravated robbery or second-degree burglary. The crimes had either mild or severe damage inflicted on the person or property, and the defendant's age was presented as 14 or 24. Neither the defendant age nor the crime outcome affected jurors’ verdicts; however, jurors were more likely to convict a defendant charged with a crime against a person. Jurors recommended longer sentences for an adult defendant, a defendant charged with a crime against a person, and a defendant charged with a crime with a severe outcome. The discussion explored these outcomes and the role of bias in jurors’ perceptions of defendants.     

Gender equity, traditional masculine culture, and female homicide victimization

Several prior studies of gender equity and female violent victimization showed a positive relationship between the two, with some scholars defining this as a backlash effect due to increasing gender equity in the context of conservative gender role expectations. This assertion was tested here under a more general set of theories about real and perceived threats to White male dominance in the United States that suggested that the positive relationship between gender equity and female victimization was conditioned by the strength of traditional masculine culture. Using cross-sectional data and employing a commonly tested baseline model to control for other structural covariates of homicide rates, variables were introduced to represent gender income equity and different components of traditional masculine culture. Results confirmed a positive cross-sectional relationship between gender income equality and White non-Hispanic female homicide victimization rates, but did not show the expected interaction effects, leading the authors to conclude that other structural or cultural factors were the source of the positive relationship.     

Substance abuse and crime: A local jail assessment

Conclusion The clear picture of multiple arrests and conviction patterns emerged from the study which might indicate long term problems, perhaps with subcultural motivation. Many inmates indicated informally that the pressures to use drugs and alcohol “on the streets” are quite strong, and will be difficult to resist after release. Several of the older inmates who had been heavily addicted before their arrests volunteered to serve as counselors to explain the hazards of drug and alcohol abuse to younger inmates. Unfortunately, a significant number of these inmates also stated that they would probably continue to use drugs upon It would appear that we may expect these relationships to continue in the future, unless some dramatic efforts are made in the enforcement of drug laws, prevention of the gross availability of illegal drugs and legal alcohol, and in the effective rehabilitation of substance abusing offenders. Of particular importance (and difficulty) will be isolating and curbing those social forces which motivate persons to continue using drugs and alcohol in seemingly irrational quantities and combinations, even after arrest and incarceration for substance abuse related behavior.     

Violent crime and substance abuse: a medico-legal comparison between deceased users of anabolic androgenic steroids and abusers of illicit drugs

Several case reports and survey studies have indicated that abuse of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) often leads to increased aggressiveness and feelings of hostility that may occasionally trigger violent behaviour. Other observations indicate that many users of AAS also abuse alcohol and/or various illegal substances. Since substance abuse is a well-known risk factor for violent behaviour, it could be that violence committed by AAS users might, at least in many cases, actually be caused by abuse of other drugs. In order to examine this possibility further here, the criminal histories (in terms of incidences of convictions) of deceased users of AAS with (AASpos-subst.pos) and without (AASpos-subst.neg) signs of abuse of other illegal substances were compared to the corresponding histories of deceased users of illicit substances testing negatively for AAS (subst.pos-AASneg) at the time of autopsy. The risk of being convicted for a crime against property was significantly higher in the subst.pos-AASneg group than in either the AASpos-subst.neg or AASpos-subst.pos groups (RR=0.048 versus 0.408). At the same time, the risk of being convicted for a crime of violence was at least as high for the two AAS-positive groups as for the AAS-negative group. Furthermore, when compared with the first 3 years after the first criminal conviction, a pronounced increase in the proportion of incidence of violent crimes and a marked reduction in the proportion of incidence of crime against property was observed during the 3-year period immediately preceding death only among the AASpos-subst.neg subjects. In conclusion, the incidence of violent crime among users of AAS without signs of other drug abuse was comparable to the corresponding incidences for drug addicts without AAS use. This observation suggests that the violent criminality observed among AAS users is not confounded in any systematic fashion by abuse of other drugs. The findings also indicate that use of AAS in certain predisposed individuals might cause a high rate of violent crimes, especially if the use of AAS is combined with the use of other illegal substances.     

Comparing cultures, comparing crime: Challenges, prospects and problems for a global criminology

Globalization will intensify contacts – and perhaps conflicts – betweencultures more than ever in the history of humankind. The flow of migrantsaround the world, global business and global consumption provide us withnew experiences of difference and diversity as well as of common ground.As in other social sciences, the concept of culture has recently emerged oncentre stage in criminology. Western criminologists look in awe to Asia, andtry to solve the enigma of modern, affluent societies with low ratesespecially of violent crimes. Asian criminologists warn of an impact ofWestern culture that might cause rising crime rates. Asian models of socialcontrol are studied and adopted in Australia, Europe and the US, and viceversa.Crime and social control are social and cultural phenomena. Therefore,comparing cultures and comparing crime will offer new insights, freshtheories and chances of innovative perspectives. What is to learn fromcultural differences, what from universals in crime and social control? Whatwill be the fate of ``general theories of crime'' in different cultures? Willpractices of criminal justice be efficient when transported to another socialand cultural environment?Criminologists should develop a clear notion of the problems that arerelated to comparing cultures and crime. Cultures are not monolithic.Cultural comparisons often suffer from exaggerations of differences, andproduce exaggerated predictions and expectations. On its way into theglobalized 21st century, criminology will have to develop strategies to meetthe challenge of comparing cultures, to avoid former errors, and to solvethe problems that lie ahead.     

Drug abuse, crime costs, and the economic benefits of treatment

Several studies have examined the social consequences and costs of criminal activity. The most popular approach for estimating the costs of crime focuses on easily measurable factors such as incarceration costs, victims' out-of-pocket expenses, medical costs, and lost earnings. However, the intangible losses incurred by victims of crime have rarely been considered. These losses include pain and suffering, as well as loss of the enjoyment of living. Based on recent developments by Cohen and colleagues, we adopt a more comprehensive method for estimating the dollar value of avoided criminal activity, taking into account these intangible losses. We demonstrate the feasibility of this method by estimating the pre- and posttreatment costs of criminal activity for a sample of 2420 drug abusers. The estimated crime-related costs incurred during the period prior to treatment admission and the period after treatment discharge are significantly higher when calculated using the proposed method compared to methods that only consider tangible costs. Furthermore, a simple benefit-cost comparison of criminal activity outcomes indicates that drug abuse treatment has the potential to return net benefits to society through crime reduction. Although the treatment outcomes are not based on an experimental design, this study presents quantitative evidence that including victims' intangible losses can substantially raise the estimated dollar benefits of avoided criminal activity due to drug abuse interventions.This paper was prepared while the authors were employed by Research Triangle Institute.