"Offenders Are Heterogeneous in Nature" Discuss.
“Offenders are Heterogeneous in nature, discuss”
Offenders are a heterogeneous population of individuals, which range from shop lifters to murderers. There are clear intergroup differences based on characteristics of the offender, victim and the crime. Therefore it is very difficult to discuss the possible heterogeneity of all offenders as one group, thus this paper will focus on one particular type of offender. Sex offenders are frequently viewed as a homogeneous class of individuals, the public do not tend to distinguish the difference between indecent exposure and rape merely considering these offenders as ‘deranged or evil’ (Bartol & Bartol 2008). On the other hand research conducted by Knight, Rosenberg and Schneider (1985) shows that sex offenders differ extensively in terms of the frequency and type of sexual activity they engage in. They also differ in personal traits such as ‘age, background, personality, race, religion, beliefs, attitudes, and interpersonal skills’. Furthermore there are fundamental differences in the Modus Operandi (M.O) of sex offenders, for instance gender and age of the victim, the degree of planning before the offence and the amount of violence used or intended. Therefore preliminary research shows clear disparity regarding the heterogeneity of sex offenders, thus the homogeneity of this group will also be considered.
A person is labelled a sex offender when they are convicted of a sex crime; this may include, rape, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, paedophilia, frotteurism, exhibitionism, incest, necrophilia and so on. The majority of studies used in this essay will be centred on sex offenders who have committed rape, sexual assault, child sexual abuse and paedophilia. Thus it is necessary to define some of these terms, the most common definition of rape is ‘the penetration of the anus or vagina by a penis, finger or object or the penetration of the mouth by a penis.’ (Polaschek, Ward & Hudson, 1997). Sexual abuse is defined
Offenders are a heterogeneous population of individuals, which range from shop lifters to murderers. There are clear intergroup differences based on characteristics of the offender, victim and the crime. Therefore it is very difficult to discuss the possible heterogeneity of all offenders as one group, thus this paper will focus on one particular type of offender. Sex offenders are frequently viewed as a homogeneous class of individuals, the public do not tend to distinguish the difference between indecent exposure and rape merely considering these offenders as ‘deranged or evil’ (Bartol & Bartol 2008). On the other hand research conducted by Knight, Rosenberg and Schneider (1985) shows that sex offenders differ extensively in terms of the frequency and type of sexual activity they engage in. They also differ in personal traits such as ‘age, background, personality, race, religion, beliefs, attitudes, and interpersonal skills’. Furthermore there are fundamental differences in the Modus Operandi (M.O) of sex offenders, for instance gender and age of the victim, the degree of planning before the offence and the amount of violence used or intended. Therefore preliminary research shows clear disparity regarding the heterogeneity of sex offenders, thus the homogeneity of this group will also be considered.
A person is labelled a sex offender when they are convicted of a sex crime; this may include, rape, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, paedophilia, frotteurism, exhibitionism, incest, necrophilia and so on. The majority of studies used in this essay will be centred on sex offenders who have committed rape, sexual assault, child sexual abuse and paedophilia. Thus it is necessary to define some of these terms, the most common definition of rape is ‘the penetration of the anus or vagina by a penis, finger or object or the penetration of the mouth by a penis.’ (Polaschek, Ward & Hudson, 1997). Sexual abuse is defined
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