Violent Partners or a Specific Class of Offenders? A Criminal Career Approach to Understanding Men Involved in Intimate Partner Sexual Violence.

The current study investigates the criminal career of individuals involved in intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV). Specifically, the goal is to determine whether men who engage in IPSV can be distinguished from those who engage in intimate partner non sexual violence (IPNSV) only and whether criminal trajectories in the resulting subgroup are heterogeneous. The sample comes from a Canadian database including a total of 12,458 individuals involved in IPSV and 32,474 individuals involved in IPNSV). Bivariate and multivariate analyses are performed to examine the differences in the two groups while latent profile analysis allows examining the heterogeneity of characteristics of men who engaged in IPSV. Findings indicate that the criminal career of men who engage in IPSV follows a pattern that is clearly distinct from that of men who engage in IPNSV only and is more specialized in terms of sexual offenses. Results also show that the criminal trajectories followed by the men who engage in IPSV are heterogeneous. Four profiles of different trajectories were identified. Both theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Sadistic Offender or Sexual Sadism? Taxometric Evidence for a Dimensional Structure of Sexual Sadism.

Severe sexual sadism is a disorder of sexual preferences that focuses on humiliation and domination of the victim, sometimes causing grievous injury or death. Because offenders with high levels of sadism represent a risk to both reoffend and cause considerable harm should they reoffend, a diagnosis of sexual sadism has serious implications. The actual diagnosis of sexual sadism is fraught with problems (i.e., low reliability and validity) and exhibits poor consistency across assessments and studies (Levenson, 2004; Marshall, Kennedy, & Yates, 2002a). Various authors have proposed that sadism should be reconceptualized and have suggested that a dimensional approach may be more effective than a classificatory one for diagnosing sexual sadism (e.g., Marshall & Kennedy, 2003; Nietschke, Osterheider, & Mokros, 2009b). The dimension versus taxon question also impacts debates about the etiology and treatment of sadism. We assessed the taxonicity of sexual sadism by conducting a taxometric analysis of the scores of 474 sex offenders from penitentiary settings on the MTC Sexual Sadism Scale, using Meehl's taxometric methods (Meehl & Yonce, 1994; Waller & Meehl, 1998). Findings indicated that sexual sadism presents a clear underlying dimensional structure. These results are consistent with earlier research supporting a dimensional assessment of sexual sadism and indicate that the diagnosis of sexual sadism should be reconceptualized. The theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Is There a Dose-Response Relationship Between Cannabis Use and Violence? A Longitudinal Study in Individuals with Severe Mental Disorders.

Introduction: Recent longitudinal studies point toward the existence of a positive relationship between cannabis use and violence in people with severe mental disorders (SMD). However, the existence of a dose-response relationship between the frequency/severity of cannabis use and violence has seldom been investigated. Therefore, this study aims to determine if such a relationship exists in a psychiatric population. Methods: To do so, a total of 98 outpatients (81 males and 17 females, all over 18 years of age) with SMD were recruited at the Institut universitaire de santé mentale de Montréal (Montréal, Canada) and included in the analyses. Clinical evaluations were conducted every 3 months for a year. Substance use, violent behaviors, and potential covariables were assessed through self-reported assessments, urinary testing, as well as clinical, criminal, and police records. Using generalized estimating equations, the association between cannabis use frequency (nonusers, occasional, regular, and frequent users) and violence was investigated, as well as the association between the severity of cannabis use and violent behaviors. Results: It was found that cannabis use frequency and severity were significant predictors of violent behaviors. After adjustment for time, age, sex, ethnicity, diagnoses, impulsivity, and use of alcohol and stimulants, odds ratios were of 1.91 (p<0.001) between each frequency profile and 1.040 (p<0.001) for each increase of one point of the severity of cannabis use score (ranging from 0 to 79). Conclusions: Despite the high attrition rate, these findings may have important implications for clinicians as cannabis use may have serious consequences in psychiatric populations. Nevertheless, the mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear.

Psychiatric disorders and management of sexual offenders in the prison psychiatric consultation unit of Marseille.

Since 2017, complaints of sexual violence have increased in France. At the same time, the management of sexual offenders has been at the center of international public health policies. The prevalence of mental disorders among sexual offenders is an essential field of research. There are some published studies on the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in sexual offenders in detention, but there are few recent published studies among French individuals who were detained. Our objectives were to determine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among persons detained for sexual offenses and the level of care received according to their diagnosis. For this purpose, we carried out a retrospective observational study from January 2017 to October 2021 of all adult sexual offenders, whether accused or convicted, who were seen in the psychiatric consultation unit of Les Baumettes prison, Marseille, France. The primary outcome measure was the psychiatric diagnosis entered in the medical records. One hundred forty-two patients were included in analysis. All patients were men, and the majority (n = 97, 68.3%) of these patients presented with at least one psychiatric disorder, principally a personality disorder (31.7%). 10.6% presented with a schizophrenic disorder, 4.9% a bipolar disorder, 3.5% a depressive disorder, 5.6% pedophilic paraphilia, and 25.4% an addictive disorder. Their management and comorbid addictions were analyzed in subgroups for each psychiatric disorder. Patients appeared to receive an appropriate level of care for their diagnosed disorder. It seems important to develop structured assessment of recidivism risk for better management of sexual offenders.

Factors influencing acceptance and trust of chatbots in juvenile offenders' risk assessment training.

Introduction: Research has identified simulation-based training with chatbots and virtual avatars as an effective educational strategy in some domains, such as medicine and mental health disciplines. Several studies on interactive systems have also suggested that user experience is decisive for adoption. As interest increases, it becomes important to examine the factors influencing user acceptance and trust in simulation-based training systems, and to validate applicability to specific learning tasks. The aim of this research is twofold: (1) to examine the perceived acceptance and trust in a risk assessment training chatbot developed to help students assess risk and needs of juvenile offenders, and (2) to examine the factors influencing students' perceptions of acceptance and trust. Methods: Participants were 112 criminology students in an undergraduate course in a Canadian university. Participants were directed to use a custom-designed chatbot with a virtual 3D avatar for juvenile offenders' risk assessment training, to complete online questionnaires and a risk assessment exercise. Results: Results show satisfactory levels of acceptance and trust in the chatbot. Concerning acceptance, more than half appeared to be satisfied or very satisfied with the chatbot, while most participants appeared to be neutral or satisfied with the benevolence and credibility of the chatbot. Discussion: Results suggest that acceptance and trust do not only depend on the design of the chatbot software, but also on the characteristics of the user, and most prominently on self-efficacy, state anxiety, learning styles and neuroticism personality traits. As trust and acceptance play a vital role in determining technology success, these results are encouraging.

[Methods and Current Issues Related to Risk Assessment of Other-Directed Violence]. / Les méthodes et enjeux relatifs à l'évaluation du risque de la violence hétérodirigée.

Objectives This article provides an overview of the approaches and instruments used to assess the risk of other-directed violence, with particular focus on risk formulation. Issues pertaining to the development and implementation of these instruments are briefly reviewed. Method A critical analysis of the literature pertaining to the methods and current issues related to risk assessment of other-directed violence is proposed. Results Violence risk assessment instruments are used to manage offenders struggling with mental health issues. They help inform decisions regarding monitoring, supervision, treatment and sentencing in correctional and forensic mental health settings. There are different approaches to violence risk assessment and numerous instruments offered to professionals working in these settings. Considering the structured professional judgement (SPJ) tools, they have considerably evolved in the last years with regard to the types of violence and the methods used to assess and manage risk. Examples of these innovations include taking into consideration victim safety planning and strategies to facilitate risk communication such as scenario planning based on an explanatory framework informed by risk formulation. Risk formulation is a relatively new step in the administration SPJ tools, and invites users to go beyond documenting the presence and relevance of specific risk factors by allowing them to consider the nature and the etiology of violence in an individualized manner. Risk formulation integrates both relevant risk and protective factors that facilitate the process of scenario planning and the identification of successful risk management strategies. Conclusion Although structured approaches to violence risk assessment of offenders struggling with mental health issues have become more and more frequent in many settings, some methodological and implementation issues still have to be tackled. In spite that these issues warrant further discussion based on new empirical data, their contribution to risk reduction and to the success of social rehabilitation of the individuals at the centre of these assessments is undeniable.

Petechiae in hanging: a retrospective study of contributing variables.

Petechiae, one of the classic signs of asphyxia, are thought to be more frequently observed in cases of hanging where part of the body is supporting the victim's weight, ie, cases of incomplete hanging. However, there is very little evidence-based medicine to support this claim. The present study is intended to evaluate the relationship between petechiae and the type of hanging (complete vs. incomplete). Furthermore, several other variables were analyzed to determine if they contribute significantly to the presence of petechiae. An 8.5-year retrospective study of 206 cases of death by hanging reviewed autopsy reports for the presence of petechiae. For each case, the following information was also compiled: gender and age, height and weight, body mass index, the type of hanging (complete or incomplete suspension), the type of ligature used (narrow or wide), and whether or not the victim had received cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuvers. Statistical analysis revealed that the incidence was higher among incomplete hanging victims compared with cases of complete suspension and that the incidence of petechiae varied inversely with the height of the victims. The other factors were not shown to contribute significantly to the presence of petechiae.

Agonal sequences in 14 filmed hangings with comments on the role of the type of suspension, ischemic habituation, and ethanol intoxication on the timing of agonal responses.

The Working Group on Human Asphyxia has analyzed 14 filmed hangings: 9 autoerotic accidents, 4 suicides, and 1 homicide. The following sequence of agonal responses was observed: rapid loss of consciousness in 10 ± 3 seconds, mild generalized convulsions in 14 ± 3 seconds, decerebrate rigidity in 19 ± 5 seconds, beginning of deep rhythmic abdominal respiratory movements in 19 ± 5 seconds, decorticate rigidity in 38 ± 15 seconds, loss of muscle tone in 1 minute 17 seconds ± 25 seconds, end of deep abdominal respiratory movements in 1 minute 51 seconds ± 30 seconds, and last muscle movement in 4 minutes 12 seconds ± 2 minutes 29 seconds. The type of suspension and ethanol intoxication does not seem to influence the timing of the agonal responses, whereas ischemic habituation in autoerotic practitioner might decelerate the late responses to hanging.

Validation of the French-Canadian Version of the Sexual Inhibition and Sexual Excitation Scales-Short Form (SIS/SES-SF): Associations With Sexual Functioning, Sociosexual Orientation, and Sexual Compulsivity.

INTRODUCTION: The Dual control model proposes that both excitatory and inhibitory processes are responsible for the human sexual response. AIM: To validate the French-Canadian translation of the Sexual Inhibition and Excitation Scales-Short Form (SIS/SES-SF) by exploring its factor structure and by investigating its capacity to retrospectively predict sexual functioning and behaviors, namely, sociosexual orientation and sexual compulsivity. METHODS: A French-Canadian translation of the SIS/SES-SF was created using forward-backward translation. A community sample of 362 men and 420 women completed an online survey. The factor structure and the measurement invariance between men and women was explored using Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling. Predictive power of the scales was tested using Multiple Linear Regression models using a corrected threshold (P< .008). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sexual functioning was assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function and the Female Sexual Function Index while sexual compulsion and sociosexual orientation were measured using the Sexual Compulsion Scale and the Revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory, respectively. RESULTS: The original three-factor solution of the SIS/SES-SF was replicated. All three scales showed acceptable internal consistency and good temporal stability. Yet, results only supported configural measurement invariance between men and women, suggesting that their scores cannot be directly compared. Overall, for both men and women, higher sexual excitation (SES) was significantly predictive of better sexual functioning, while higher sexual inhibition due to threat of performance failure (SIS1) was a significant predictor of lower sexual functioning. Both sexual compulsivity and sociosexual orientation were significantly predicted by higher SES and lower sexual inhibition due to threat of performance consequences (SIS2). CONCLUSION: These results support the cross-cultural transferability of the SIS/SIS-SF and the Dual control model to French-Canadian men and women, higlighting the utility for clinicians to evaluate both excitatory and inhibitory factors associated with sexual dysfunction and sexual behaviors. Nolet K, Guay JP, Bergeron S. Validation of the French-Canadian Version of the Sexual Inhibition and Sexual Excitation Scales-Short Form (SIS/SES-SF): Associations With Sexual Functioning, Sociosexual Orientation, and Sexual Compulsivity. Sex Med 2021;9:100374.

MTC Sadism Scale: Toward a Dimensional Assessment of Severe Sexual Sadism With Behavioral Markers.

Sadism was initially described as the experience of sexual pleasure produced by acts of cruelty and bodily punishment. Sadism was conceptualized as if sadists were fundamentally different from nonsadists. Recent studies have suggested that sadism is distributed as a dimension rather than as a category. The aim of the current study was to assess the psychometric properties the MTC Sexual Sadism Scale. Our analyses were conducted on a sample of 486 sexual offenders assessed at a correctional institution in Massachusetts. In summary, the results indicate that the MTC Sexual Sadism Scale possesses good psychometric properties for the dimensional assessment of severe sexual sadism with behavioral markers. Moreover, the scale captures a wide range of intensity of sadism among sexual offenders. These results are consistent with prior research and support the current consensus to move toward a dimensional interpretation of sadism. Implications both for clinical assessment and for research on the development of sadism are discussed.

The Role of Rape-Supportive Attitudes, Alcohol, and Sexual Arousal in Sexual (Mis)Perception: An Experimental Study.

While sexual misperception does not irrevocably lead to sexual aggression, it remains a significant risk factor. The present study investigated the effects of rape-supportive attitudes, alcohol, and sexual arousal on sexual perception. We used a 2 × 2 between-participants factorial design to randomly assign 135 men from the general population to a condition with or without alcohol (blood alcohol concentration target of .08%) and to a condition with or without sexual arousal. Participants were asked to listen to an audiotape depicting a sexual interaction between a man and woman and to indicate if and when they believed the woman was no longer interested in having sex. Results, obtained through survival analyses, indicate that the effects of rape-supportive attitudes on sexual misperception are moderated by alcohol consumption. Alcohol appears to be an important situational factor for activating men's implicit theories. Our study sheds new light on the role of knowledge structures in sexual perception: It identifies when, as well as suggesting how, rape-supportive attitudes may disturb sexual perception and ultimately lead to sexual misperception.

Risk factors of compliance with self-harm command hallucinations in individuals with affective and non-affective psychosis.

Clinicians are often left with the difficult task of assessing and managing the risk of violent behaviors in individuals having command hallucinations, which may result in substantial rates of false positive or false negative. Moreover, findings on the association between command hallucinations and suicidal behaviors are limited. In an attempt to better understand compliance to this hallucinatory phenomenon, our objective was to identify the risk factors of compliance with self-harm command hallucinations. Secondary analyses from the MacArthur Study were performed on 82 participants with psychosis reporting such commands. Univariate logistic regression was used to examine the classification value of each characteristic associated with compliance with such commands. Seriousness and frequency of childhood physical abuse, a current comorbid substance use disorder, emotional distress, general symptomatology, history of compliance, and belief about compliance in the future were found to be significant risk factors of compliance with self-harm commands in the week preceding psychiatric inpatient. Multivariate analyses revealed that severity of childhood physical abuse, belief about compliance in the future, and a current comorbid substance use disorder were independent risk factors. The final model showed excellent classification accuracy as suggest by the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC=0.84, 95% CI: 0.75-0.92, p<0.001). Our results suggest considerable clinical implications in regard to the assessment of risk of compliance to self-harm command hallucinations in individuals with psychosis.

A taxometric investigation of psychopathy in women.

The taxonomic status of psychopathy is the topic of considerable research interest. The latent structure of psychopathy will latent structure will guide the determination of the best assessment approaches, maximize the reliability and validity, will help to establish optimal cutting scores that minimize decision errors and will also facilitate the selection of the best research designs to advance the study of the construct. In the present study, taxometric analyses were used for assessing taxonicity, and they were applied to Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) ratings of 1218 female offenders. Hare's four-factor solution to the PCL-R was used as the bases of the analyses. The results of the various analytical strategies obtained dimensional solutions and corroborated that for females, as well as for males, psychopathy as measured by the PCL-R, may best be conceptualized as distinct configurations of extreme scores on personality traits rather than as a distinct, nonarbitrary class. These results reaffirm the fact that cut-off scores of are arbitrary in nature.

In a Heartbeat: An Assessment of Dynamic Dose Variation to Cardiac Structures Using Dual Source Computed Tomography.

PURPOSE: To assess radiation dose variation to the left anterior descending artery (LAD), left main coronary artery (LMCA), left ventricle (LV), and whole heart (WH) during the cardiac cycle using dual source computed tomography (DSCT). METHODS AND MATERIALS: The present prospective study included patients with left-side breast cancer planned to undergo tangential radiation therapy. An electrocardiogram-synchronized contrast-injected DSCT scan was obtained with the patient in the treatment position, in deep-inspiration breath-hold, using retrospective sequential acquisition. The WH, LV, LMCA, and proximal, middle, and distal LAD segments were contoured on each phase of the cardiac cycle. The maximum, minimum, and mean Hausdorff distance between each structure and the tangential fields was assessed in ventricular systole and diastole. Four-dimensional dose-volume histograms were used to compare the systolic and diastolic dosimetric data. RESULTS: Ten patients were enrolled. The average maximum, minimum, and mean Hausdorff distance variation from systole to diastole was ≤4 mm for the LV and LMCA and ≤3 mm for the WH and LAD segments. WH maximum dose and volume receiving 5 Gy were decreased in systole compared with diastole (42.9 Gy versus 44.5 Gy, P = .03, and 21.7 cm3 versus 27.7 cm3, P = .01), but the mean dose remained similar throughout the cycle. The maximum and mean dose to the distal LAD was 21.2 Gy versus 26.6 Gy (P = .005) and 8.6 Gy versus 13.2 Gy (P = .006) in systole versus diastole, respectively. The maximum and mean dose to the middle LAD was 18.4 Gy versus 25.1 Gy (P = .005) and 8.5 Gy versus 10.2 Gy in systole versus diastole (P = .005). The maximum dose to the LV was lower in systole than in diastole (21.5 Gy vs 26.7 Gy; P = .005). CONCLUSIONS: In addition to deep-inspiration breath-hold, systolic irradiation is associated with a reduction in dose to the LAD, LV, and WH. In addition to its potential use in radiation planning for cardiac gating, DSCT imaging can be used to help define a planning organ at risk volume for clinically important cardiac substructures.

A taxometric analysis of the latent structure of psychopathy: evidence for dimensionality.

The taxonomic status of psychopathy is controversial. Whereas some studies have found evidence that psychopathy, at least its antisocial component, is distributed as a taxon, others have found that both major components of psychopathy-callousness/unemotionality and impulsivity/antisocial behavior-appear to distribute as dimensions and show little evidence of taxonicity. In the present study, recent advances in taxometric analysis were added to P. Meehl's (1995) multiple consistency tests strategy for assessing taxonicity, and they were applied to Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (R. D. Hare, 2003) ratings of 4,865 offenders sampled from multiple forensic settings. The results indicated that both the individual components of psychopathy and their interface are distributed dimensionally. Both the implications of these results for research in psychopathy and the integration of these findings with previous taxometric studies of psychopathy are discussed.

Screening men for prostate cancer and colorectal cancer: is practice evidence-based?

INTRODUCTION: Controversy persists about whether men should be screened for prostate cancer. On the other hand, the benefit of colorectal cancer screening has been proven for men starting at age 50. We aimed to examine the rate of exposure to previous screening tests for prostate cancer and colorectal cancer in a cohort of men living in Quebec. MATERIALS AND METHODS: As part of an event promoting early prostate cancer detection, 347 men aged 50 to 69 without an established diagnosis of prostate cancer agreed to reply to questions in a previously validated questionnaire. The self-administered questionnaire, which asked about previous screening tests for prostate cancer and colorectal cancer, was completed on-site. RESULTS: Among men aged 50 to 69, previous exposure to a digital rectal examination (DRE), a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, a fecal occult blood test (FOBT), and sigmoidoscopy were reported by 132 men (62.9%), 73 men (34.8%), 37 men (17.6%), and 39 men (18.6%) , respectively. Across all age strata (< 50, 50-69, > or = 70 years), PSA and DRE testing were highest in men aged 50 to 69 and were 2- to 3-fold higher than screening tests for colorectal cancer. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of asymptomatic Canadian men, overall and age-stratified exposure to tests to detect colon cancer early is far from ideal. Conversely, far more men have been subjected to PSA testing and DRE. Patients should be informed of the benefits and risks of colorectal cancer screening and PSA testing.

On intelligence and crime: a comparison of incarcerated sex offenders and serious non-sexual violent criminals.

The impact of low IQ on crime has been a focus of debate for several decades now. Although sociologists have virtually removed it from the list of possible factors influencing crime, the impact of IQ on crime continues to generate a significant amount of scientific research and a substantial number of publications. The purpose of this study is to assess intellectual levels and to compare two groups of incarcerated criminals. Using MANCOVA and ANCOVA procedures, 261 sex offenders and 150 non-sexual violent criminals were compared on IQ subscales. The results show significant differences on vocabulary, comprehension, arithmetic, mental math computations, object assembly, letter-number sequencing, and perception subscales, as well as on performance IQ and total IQ. The impacts of penal filtering and sample composition are hypothesized to explain differences between the two subgroups. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Criminal justice institutional referrals and selections: a comparative portrait of sexual aggressions and aggressors.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the judicial treatment of sex offenders from police detection to treatment centers. Using three different samples, participants' trajectories are studied in the light of their age, the age and sex of their victims, the relationship with their victims, and the use of a weapon. First, the results show that although underrepresented at the federal institution, younger criminals tend to be overrepresented in the treatment sample. Second, the results also demonstrate that offenders against children tend to be overrepresented at the federal institution; this tendency is even stronger in the psychiatric treatment sample. Third, the objective seriousness of the offense, a proxy measured by the presence of a weapon, is of principal importance in case processing throughout the judicial system. Recommendations on how to facilitate the comparison of results from different studies, based on a better sample description, are also discussed.

Virtual faces expressing emotions: an initial concomitant and construct validity study.

BACKGROUND: Facial expressions of emotions represent classic stimuli for the study of social cognition. Developing virtual dynamic facial expressions of emotions, however, would open-up possibilities, both for fundamental and clinical research. For instance, virtual faces allow real-time Human-Computer retroactions between physiological measures and the virtual agent. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to initially assess concomitants and construct validity of a newly developed set of virtual faces expressing six fundamental emotions (happiness, surprise, anger, sadness, fear, and disgust). Recognition rates, facial electromyography (zygomatic major and corrugator supercilii muscles), and regional gaze fixation latencies (eyes and mouth regions) were compared in 41 adult volunteers (20 ♂, 21 ♀) during the presentation of video clips depicting real vs. virtual adults expressing emotions. RESULTS: Emotions expressed by each set of stimuli were similarly recognized, both by men and women. Accordingly, both sets of stimuli elicited similar activation of facial muscles and similar ocular fixation times in eye regions from man and woman participants. CONCLUSION: Further validation studies can be performed with these virtual faces among clinical populations known to present social cognition difficulties. Brain-Computer Interface studies with feedback-feedforward interactions based on facial emotion expressions can also be conducted with these stimuli.