Developmental correlates of offending patterns in serial rapists
| Date | 16 March 2012 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/20093821211210459 |
| Pages | 4-18 |
| Published date | 16 March 2012 |
| Author | David Joubert |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Public policy & environmental management,Sociology |
Developmental correlates of offending
patterns in serial rapists
David Joubert
Abstract
Purpose – The idea that criminal behavior is a function of the offender’s personality, also called the
Homology hypothesis, has a long history in forensic psychology and criminology. This assumption,
however, has been decried as lacking empirical support. In spite of much social concern relative to
sexual offenses, there is virtually no research looking at the stability of offendingpattern in sex offenders
of adult women. This paper aims to fill some of the gaps.
Design/methodology/approach – Latent structure analyses were conducted on a secondary dataset
including 145 serial rapists. A cross-sectional, discrete time-series design was used including a
sequence of three offenses.
Findings – Moderate support was found for the three main assumptions underlying the Homology
hypothesis. Offenses tended to share a relatively similar underlying structure,with the victimology and
aggression components being more prominent than the sexual dimension. The three primary profiles
identified, labeled ‘‘Passive’’, ‘‘Stranger-aggressive’’, and ‘‘Antisocial’ ’, were found to be about 50
percent stable across the sequence. Finally,the presence of significant dysfunction in the family of origin
predicted membership in the ‘‘Antisocial’’ class, as well as increased the specificity and stability of this
profile. The presence of early maladjustment was not related to any of the states.
Research limitations/implications – Based on the results, it is proposed that future research
incorporates contextual-environmental elements in order to increase the validity of the findings.
Originality/value – This study represents a unique attempt at documenting patterns of stability and
variations across incidents of rape, using an institutional sample. Furthermore, it illustrates the use and
potential benefits of latent structure models in criminological research.
Keywords Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual offending, Latent structure, Development, Crime research,
Individual psychology, Sexual behaviour
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
The idea that delinquent or antisocial behavior reflects intrapsychic characteristics of the
offender has a long history in criminology (Eysenck and Gudjonsson, 1989; Farrington,
1993; Megargee, 1966). The notion that ‘‘behavior reflects personality’’ has found its way into
the popular media, as illustrated through the published work of current or former criminal
profilers (Douglas and Olshaker, 1999; McCrary and Ramsland, 2003), and forms the basis
of contemporary crime linkage analysis based on behavioral evidence, particularly in cases
involving multiple sexual offenses (Hazelwood and Warren, 2003).
At its core, the ‘‘Homology Hypothesis’’ suggests that offenders sharing similar
psychological traits should also show similar offense characteristics (Mokros and Alison,
2002). Its origins can be traced to the psychoanalytic formulation of acting-out as an
enactment of unresolved internal conflicts (Chasseguet-Smirgel, 1990; Freud, 1968). In sex
offenders specifically, it is presumed that elements of the crime such as the choice and
approach of victim, use of control and aggression, and specific sexual acts posed during
the offense reflect difficulties in terms of psychosexual and social development (Beauregard
PAGE 4
j
JOURNAL OF CRIMINAL PSYCHOLOGY
j
VOL. 2 NO. 1 2012, pp. 4-18, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2009-3829 DOI 10.1108/20093821211210459
David Joubert is based in
the Department of
Criminology at the
University of Ottawa,
Ottawa, Canada.
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