Sexual sadism and criminal versatility: does sexual sadism spillover into nonsexual crimes?
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JACPR-05-2016-0229 |
| Pages | 2-12 |
| Published date | 09 January 2017 |
| Date | 09 January 2017 |
| Author | Matt DeLisi,Alan Drury,Michael Elbert,Katherine Tahja,Daniel Caropreso,Timothy Heinrichs |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Criminology & forensic psychology,Aggression, conflict & peace,Sociology,Gender studies,Gender violence,Political sociology, policy & social change,Social conflicts,War/peace |
Sexual sadism and criminal versatility:
does sexual sadism spillover
into nonsexual crimes?
Matt DeLisi, Alan Drury, Michael Elbert, Katherine Tahja, Daniel Caropreso and
Timothy Heinrichs
Abstract
Purpose –Sexual sadism is a well-known risk factor for severe forms of sexual violence including sexual
homicide and serial sexual homicide. The research is decidedly mixed about the association between sexual
sadism and other, nonsexual forms of criminal conduct. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach –Drawing on data from a census of 225 federal sex offenders from a
jurisdiction in the Midwestern USA, the current study examined whether sexual sadism had a spillover effect
into nonsexual crimes using correlation, ANOVA, and negative binomial regression models.
Findings –Sexual sadism was strongly associated with diverse forms of nonsexual criminal behavior, and
sexual sadistshad more extensive and versatilecriminal careers than sex offenderswithout a formal diagnosis.
Practical implications –Practitioners should be aware of sexual sadism as a criminogenic risk
factor. Sexual sadism is associated with sexual deviance and sexual violence. Sexual sadism also has
spillover effects where it is associated with nonsexual offending.
Originality/value –Sexual sadism can be a useful risk factor for other forms of crime and recidivism and has
broad application in applied correctional and research settings.
Keywords Criminal career, Career criminal, Nonsexual crime, Sex offender, Sexual sadism, Versatility
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Sexual sadism is a paraphilia whereby an individualderives sexual excitement from the physicalor
psychologicalsuffering of another person. Althoughthe etiology of sexual sadism is uncertain, the
disorder usuallyemerges in childhood in the formof sexually sadistic fantasies,and is chronic, and
tends to worsen over time. Moreover, it is a significant risk factor for the perpetration of sexual
violence and sexualsadists are disproportionatelylocated in prisons and other secure psychiatric
facilities. As suggested by the American Psychiatric Association (2000, p. 573), “When sexual
sadism is practiced with nonconsenting partners, the activity is likely to be repeated until the
person with sexual sadism is apprehended.”Krueger (2010) exhaustively reviewed the literature
spanning 1900-2008 and reported wide variation in the prevalence of sexual sadism across
participants. Most of the research studies utilized samples of prison inmates or patients from
secured psychiatric hospitals. In half of the studies that compared sexualmurderers to nonsexual
murderers or sexual offenders who had not committed homicide, sexual sadism was highest
among offenders who perpetrated sexual homicide (Krueger, 2010). Indeed, sexual sadism
is an important feature of the most violent sexual offenses, such as serial sexual homicide
(Sewall et al., 2013; Warren et al., 1996), sexual homicide (Beauregard, 2012; Hazelwood et al.,
1992; Hill et al.,2006;Vettoretal., 2014; Yarvis, 1995) and rape/sexual assault (Dietzet al.,1990;
Marshall et al., 2002; Vettor et al., 2014). Moreover, deviant sexual interests are significantly
associated with sexual offending and general forms of recidivism (Hanson and Bussiere, 1998;
Hanson and Harris, 2000; Hanson and Morton-Bourgon, 2005; Woodworth et al., 2013).
Received 2 May 2016
Revised 15 June 2016
29 June 2016
2 July 2016
Accepted 2 July 2016
Matt DeLisi is a Professor and
Coordinator of Criminal Justice
Studies at the Departmentof
Sociology, Iowa State University,
Ames, Iowa, USA.
Alan Drury, Michael Elbert and
Katherine Tahja are all based in
Des Moines, Iowa, USA.
Daniel Caropreso is an
Assistant Deputy Chief US
Probation Officer based in Des
Moines, Iowa, USA.
Timothy Heinrichs is based in
Des Moines, Iowa, USA.
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JOURNAL OF AGGRESSION, CONFLICT AND PEACE RESEARCH
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VOL. 9 NO. 1 2017, pp.2-12, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1759-6599 DOI 10.1108/JACPR-05-2016-0229
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