Understanding the Offline Criminal Behavior of Individuals Who Live Stream Child Sexual Abuse.

Live streaming of child sexual abuse (CSA) involves the procurement and viewing of sexual abuse of children across the internet in real time, in exchange for money. These offenses leave little tangible evidence of the offense beyond a financial transaction, and metadata relating to the live-streaming session. This research analyzed the demographic, criminal history, and financial transaction characteristics of 209 individuals who live streamed child sexual abuse. A machine learning clustering technique was implemented to consider whether there were sub-groups present among these offenders, and in particular the prevalence of contact sexual offending among any detected sub-groups. Findings revealed that offenders tend to engage in live streaming around the same age, before making regular transactions with facilitators at brief intervals, with the majority of offenders featuring limited criminal history. This analysis identified a notable sub-group of live-streaming offenders that also engaged in contact sexual offending. This is the first study to empirically demonstrate an intersection between live streaming of CSA, and contact sexual offenses against children and adults. This research highlighted the importance of financial transactions data in detecting, and disrupting this crime type. Further, the identification of an intersection between live-streaming CSA offenders, and contact sexual offenders suggests that these individuals may pose a risk to both local and international communities.

Victimization Experiences and Executive Dysfunction as Discriminating Risk Indicators for Youth Offender Typologies.

Research is becoming increasingly nuanced in its examination of offenders, and thus typological distinctions according to generalist and/or specialization offense profiles may be notable for targeted intervention efforts within and between classifications of offenders. There is a significant body of evidence identifying early-life victimization and executive function deficits as critical developmental antecedents to sexual and non-sexual offending alike, but they have not been exhaustively evaluated as a discernable experience among criminally versatile offenders (youth who commit both sexual and non-sexual crimes). This study aims to address gaps by examining associations between early-life victimization, other traumatic experiences in the home, and executive functioning deficits and then test how disparate offending groups differentially experience these early risks. Using a sample of juvenile-justice-involved youth (N = 200), who committed sexual only offenses (n = 41), non-sexual only offenses (n = 124), and criminally versatile offenders (n = 27), multivariate analysis of variance tests and bivariate correlations were conducted. Results revealed that there were statistically significant correlations between measures of executive functioning and specific incidents of victimization, particularly sexual, physical, and emotional. There were also significant group differences in measures of sexual abuse, physical and emotional abuse, and executive functioning with criminally versatile offenders showing higher rates of physical and emotional abuse and sexual only offenders showing higher rates of sexual abuse and some executive functioning deficits. Practice and research implications are discussed.

Does childhood victimization predict specific adolescent offending? An analysis of generality versus specificity in the victim-offender overlap.

BACKGROUND: A large body of research has examined the relationship between victimization and future offending, with results suggesting that crime victims are at higher risk of future criminal behavior-known as the victim-offender overlap. Prior studies have primarily examined the relationship between general victimization (e.g., violent victimization, sexual abuse, and more) and general offending (e.g., violence, sexual offending, and drug use), and focused on adult populations. OBJECTIVE: The goal of the present study is to expand on prior literature by examining if specific forms of childhood victimization increase the risk of specific and analogous forms of offending among delinquent youth. METHOD: Based upon a population of 64,329 high-risk youth offenders in Florida, this study evaluates the specificity of the overlap among youth who were physically abused, sexually abused, or witnessed illegal substance use at home during childhood to determine if these forms of victimization increased the risk of violence, sexual offending, and drug use, respectively, when assessed in multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: Results provide considerable support for specificity in the victim-offender overlap, as hypothesized. Specifically, experiencing physical abuse (OR = 1.55, p < .001), sexual abuse (OR = 3.58, p < .001) and witnessing household substance abuse (OR = 1.66, p < .001) in childhood each significantly and substantially increased the risk of analogous criminal behavior in adolescence, even when controlling for other risk factors and forms of victimization. CONCLUSION: This study provided novel evidence for specificity in the victim-offender overlap, even after controlling for confounding variables. Practical implications for early intervention and crime prevention are discussed, as well as implications for future research. Highlighting the importance of specificity in the victimization and adverse childhood experience (ACE) paradigms.

Arrest and Prosecution of Animal Sex Abuse (Bestiality) Offenders in the United States, 1975-2015.

Bestiality is an uncomfortable topic about which there is limited scientific literature. Prevalence research has focused on self-reported acts, and no research has established the actual frequency and nature of deliberate sex acts with animals. This quantitative, descriptive study examined 456 arrests for bestiality-related incidents in the United States from 1975 to 2015 to explore patterns of offending, offender characteristics, and how cases were adjudicated. The results suggest that animal sex offending may be linked to other criminal behavior, and involves a spectrum of sexual acts, including coercive, violent, and non-violent penetration; solicitation for sex with animals; and deviant behavior including torture and necrophilia. Findings of concern were that 31.6% of animal sex offenders also sexually offended against children and adults; 52.9% had a prior or subsequent criminal record involving human sexual abuse, animal abuse, interpersonal violence, substances, or property offenses; and only 39.1% of arrests involving the direct sexual abuse of animals resulted in prosecution. The broad range of sexual assault patterns and varied legal outcomes suggest that bestiality is more pervasive and more serious than previously thought and point to a need for additional research to aid in detection, intervention, sentencing, treatment, and supervision methods.

Coercive Control: Update and Review.

This article reviews the background, introduction, and critical response to new criminal offenses of coercive control in England/Wales and Scotland. How the new Scottish offense is implemented will determine whether it can overcome the shortcomings of the English law. We then review new evidence on four dimensions of coercive control: the relationship between "control" and "violence," coercive control in same-sex couples, measuring coercive control, and children's experience of coercive control. Coercive control is not a type of violence. Indeed, level of control predicts a range of negative outcomes heretofore associated with physical abuse, including post-separation violence and sexual assault; important differences in coercive control dynamics distinguish male homosexual from lesbian couples; measuring coercive control requires innovative ways of aggregating and categorizing data; and how children experience coercive control is a problem area that offers enormous promise for the years ahead.

The Preference for Strangulation in a Sexually Motivated Serial Killer.

The existing literature on the killing method of choice for sexually motivated serial killers suggests strangulation as the preferable means of homicide, when the victim is female. When homicide victims are male, however, existing research suggests that firearms and blades are preferable methods of causing death. A case is presented here of a sexually motivated male serial killer who exclusively targeted males and who chose strangulation as his means of killing. Analysis suggests that not only is the psychological constitution of the killer an important factor in understanding how they kill victims but, also, the nature of the sexual act is an important determinant in the method of killing in male on male sexually motivated killing.

Trastornos de la personalidad, adicciones y psicopatía como predictores de la conducta delictiva en una muestra penitenciaria / Personality disorders, addictions and psychopathy as predictors of criminal behaviour in a prison sample

Objetivo: Las perturbaciones de la personalidad y las adicciones se asocian con un aumento del riesgo de cometer delitos y, con ello, de ingresar en prisión. En este estudio se analiza la relación entre estos factores con una muestra de internos en el Centro Penitenciario de Pereiro de Aguiar de Ourense. Material y método: 204 internos participaron en este estudio transversal retrospectivo con un diseño ciego simple. Se analizaron las siguientes variables: trastornos de la personalidad y psicopatía, consumo de sustancias, historial delictivo y variables sociodemográficas. Resultados: 101 (49,5%) internos recibieron un diagnóstico de trastorno de la personalidad. Los más frecuentes fueron: narcisista, 43 (21,08%); antisocial, 38 (18,63%); y paranoide, 29 (14,22%). La presencia de cualquier trastorno de la personalidad se asoció a un aumento en el riesgo de cometer delitos, especialmente delitos violentos y contra la propiedad. Los trastornos de la personalidad más frecuentes se asociaron a puntuaciones más elevadas en los instrumentos de valoración de la psicopatía. Puntuaciones elevadas en la escala de evaluación de psicopatía de Hare revisada (Psychopathy Checklist Reviewed, PCL-R) se correlacionaron con un mayor riesgo de cometer delitos violentos, contra la salud pública, contra la propiedad y de alteración del orden público. El consumo de sustancias adictivas se asoció a la comisión de delitos contra la propiedad. La metadona destacó por su papel protector frente a la comisión de delitos violentos. Discusión: En esta muestra, se objetiva que los internos presentan una mayor prevalencia de trastornos de la personalidad, psicopatía y consumo de sustancias adictivas. Estas tres variables aumentaron de forma significativa el riesgo de cometer delitos

Aims: Disturbances in personality and addictions are associated with an increased risk of committing crimes and therefore of being imprisoned. In this study, the relationship between these factors is analyzed through a sample of inmates in the Prison of Pereiro de Aguiar, Ourense. Material and method: 204 inmates participated in this transversal simple blind design study. The following variables were analyzed: presence of personality disorders and psychopathy, history of addictive psychoactive substance use, criminal history and socio-demographic variables. Results: 101 (49.5%) inmates received a diagnosis of personality disorder, the most frequent being: narcissistic, 43 (21.08%); antisocial, 38 (18.63%); and paranoid, 29 (14.22%). The presence of any personality disorder was associated with an increase in the risk of committing crimes, especially violence and crimes against property. The most frequent personality disorders were associated with higher scores in the psychopathy assessment tools. Higher scores in the Psychopathy Checklist Reviewed (PCL-R) correlated with an increased risk of committing the following crimes: violent, against public health, against property and disorderly conduct. The consumption of addictive psychoactive substances was associated with the commission of crimes against property. Methadone stood out for its protective role against the commission of violent crimes. Discussion: This sample shows that inmates have a higher prevalence of personality disorders, psychopathy and consumption of addictive psychoactive substances. These three variables significantly increased the risk of committing crimes

Limitaciones de los análisis de pelo para determinar las circunstancias que atenúan o eximen de la responsabilidad criminal / Uselessness of hair analysis to determine extenuating or exculpatory circumstances in cases related to criminal responsibility

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Identifying Male Sexual Offender Subtypes Using Cluster Analysis and the Static-2002R.

This study examines whether clinically meaningful subgroups could be identified within a large, undifferentiated group of convicted adult male sex offenders. Of eight cluster analyses, a reliable three-cluster solution emerged based on the subscores of the Static-2002R with 345 sex offenders. To establish the validity of the emergent clusters, the three groups of offenders were compared on four domains: criminal history, psychosexual development, sexual attitudes and interests, and recidivism. The findings revealed meaningful differences among the group, and the implications of subgroup membership is discussed in terms of risk, treatment, and supervision.

Endorsement of Criminal Behavior Amongst Offenders: Implications for DSM-5 Gambling Disorder.

The fifth edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual (DSM) has changed the scoring threshold for a gambling disorder (GD) from five criteria to four and eliminated the illegal acts criterion. The impact of these changes was examined with data from a correctional population (N = 676) in Ontario, Canada. The offenders completed a self-report survey that included the Canadian problem gambling index, the South Oaks Gambling Screen and the DSM-IV criteria. Changing the threshold from 5 to 4 improved the convergent validity for GD and resulted in an increase in the percentage of offenders diagnosed with a GD from 7.4 to 10.2 %. The results also indicate that the illegal acts criterion contributes to the convergent validity of GD. The evidence supports the change in the threshold from five to four, but also reinforces the importance of examining illegal acts when dealing with an offender population. The incorporation of illegal acts into the "lying to others" criteria appears to make up, to some extent, for the removal of the illegal acts criterion.