Crime Analysis About Sex Offenders in Turkey: Rapists' Psychological Profiling, Cognitive Distortions and Psychopathy

Abstract

SUMMARY Aim:In this study the characteristics offenders and victims that contribute to offender profiling are analyzed in cases of sexual assault. The analysis of sexual assaults are identifies the relationship between these characteristics and sex crimes by examining the elements which contribute to sex crimes including demographic characteristics, domestic and developmental conditions, forensic history, cognitive distortions and psychopathy. Methods:The Interviewing Tool For Sex Crimes, Cognitive Distortions Question Tool About Rape, and Levenson Self Report Psychopathy Scale (LSRP) were applied to 106 male convicts between the ages of 18-65 or a control group consisting of 100 males volunteers between the age range of 18-65 from 11 different closed prisons. Results:The results of the cognitive distortions questionnaire score was significantly different among sex offenders compared to innocent individuals. The level of cognitive distortion is significantly greater among sex offenders. The first and the second psychopathy scores are significantly higher than the scores of comparison group, with the second testing revealing increased scores in comparison to the first among sex offenders. Conclusions:The typology of most of sex offenders can be evaluated as opportunistic. This study serves as an initial point of reference for the necessary theoretical studies of risk assessment, common in the forensic psychology field not yet applied in Turkey.