The present study investigated rationality in sexually motivated burglaries. Specifically, we analyzed the situational cues identified by sexual burglars in their target selection. The research project investigated 224 individual incidents of residential burglary with apparent sexual motivations. Situational characteristics of the incidents were recorded and analyzed using forward sequential regressions.
Results indicated that most sexually motivated burglaries occurred in occupied residences with deficient physical guardianship, when the victim was alone. Violence, theft, penetration, and fetishism were found to be committed in circumstances that increased the benefits and lowered the risks. Results showed that sexual burglary is rational in nature-sexual burglars chose residences that were easy to break into. We found little support for the premise that such opportunities arose while carrying out regular burglaries. Instead, the data indicated that sexual burglars acted opportunistically on situational cues that are markedly dissimilar to those of regular burglars.
Via: http://ht.ly/S87nX
By: Pedneault A1, Beauregard E2, Harris DA3, Knight RA4.
- 1Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada ameliep@sfu.ca.
- 2Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
- 3San Jose State University, CA, USA.
- 4Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA.
Research in the field of sexual aggression often assumes escalation in the criminal careers of sexual offenders. Sexual offenders are thought to begin their criminal careers with non-contact sexual offenses or non-sexual offenses and then escalate to more serious crimes, specifically sexual violence. The commission of one crime in particular-burglary-has been found to be a predictor of future violence in sexual offenders.
The present study investigated the nature and extent of escalation in the criminal histories of 161 sex offenders who committed at least two burglaries. Six types of escalations were considered: type of burglary, occupancy, violence, weapon, frequency, and the victim-offender relationship. Escalators and non-escalators were compared, differences between the groups were reviewed, and the cumulative effect of various forms of escalation was analyzed. Results indicated that escalators and non-escalators could be differentiated on a number of important dimensions that might assist in the earlier detection of subsequently more dangerous offenders.
Via: http://ht.ly/S86TW
By: Pedneault A1, Harris DA2, Knight RA3.
- 1Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada ameliep@sfu.ca.
- 2San Jose State University, CA, USA.
- 3Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA.
