Purpose Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a broad conceptual framework in the social sciences that have only recently been studied within criminology. The purpose of this paper is to utilize this framework by applying it to one of the most potentially dangerous forensic populations. Design/methodology/approach Archival data from 225 federal sex offenders was used to perform descriptive, correlational, and negative binomial regression models. Findings There was substantial evidence of ACEs including father abandonment/neglect (36 percent), physical abuse (nearly 28 percent), verbal/emotional abuse (more than 24 percent), and sexual abuse (approximately 27 percent). The mean age of sexual victimization was 7.6 years with the youngest age of victimization occurring at the age of 3. Offenders averaged nearly five paraphilias, the most common were pedophilia (57 percent), pornography addiction (43 percent), paraphilia not otherwise specified (35 percent), exhibitionism (26 percent), and voyeurism (21 percent). The offenders averaged 4.7 paraphilias and the range was substantial (0 to 19). Negative binomial regression models indicated that sexual sadism was positively and pornography addiction was negatively associated with serious criminal violence. Offenders with early age of arrest onset and more total arrest charges were more likely to perpetrate kidnaping, rape, and murder. Originality/value ACEs are common in the life history of federal sex offenders, but have differential associations with the most serious forms of crime.

Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) requires a childhood diagnosis of conduct disorder (CD); however, some adult offenders are nevertheless diagnosed with ASPD without antecedent CD. The current study used a population of federal correctional clients to examine psychiatric and paraphilic conditions that potentially differentiate these offenders. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was associated with a 120% increased likelihood of ASPD with prior CD, but a 75% reduced likelihood of ASPD without CD. Bipolar I disorder was associated with a 328% increased likelihood, frotteurism conferred a 311% increased likelihood, and sexual sadism conferred a 1,033% increased likelihood of ASPD without CD. The findings provide specificity to the heterogeneous ASPD population and help to clarify its equifinality. Implications for correctional practice are that prior psychiatric diagnoses and paraphilic disorders can help to understand the development of serious criminal behavior occurring among adult offenders even if they lacked CD.

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