Perceptions around adult and child sex offenders and their rehabilitation as a function of education in forensic psychology independent of traditionalism and perpetrator sex

Abstract

Literature pertaining to individuals with sexual convictions typically reports punitive views about their crimes, sentences, and effectiveness of rehabilitation. However, such perceptions may be a function of offense demographics, such as victim age and perpetrator sex, and perceiver characteristics, such as their traditionalism or forensic awareness/education. Participants (N=101; 60% forensic psychology student; 40% general public) read online vignettes related to sexual offences (manipulating perpetrator sex and victim age), and completed measures of perceptions of sex offenders, perceived rehabilitation efficacy and traditionalism. Members of the general population (without forensic education background) reported harsher views towards individuals with sexual convictions and their rehabilitation, relative to students of forensic psychology, independent of their greater traditionalism. There was no main effect of or interaction with perpetrator sex. Whilst participants endorsed more negative perceptions towards sex offenders of child than adult victims, this did not extent to differences in perceptions regarding their rehabilitation. Findings reported here indicate a need for greater understanding as to the factors that might moderate perceptions towards individuals with sexual convictions, and have implications for the promotion of sex offender rehabilitation programmes. Understanding the root of such public attitudes is a key step for creating and improving associated policies.

Exploring converging and diverging opinions of rehabilitative interventions for individuals who have committed serious criminal offences: The need for forensic-specific education in the general public.

“…There are not any discernible research studies into this specific area in regard to punitive attitudes, but the evocation of the big five negative emotions from the general public are present (Olver & Barlow, 2010;Willis et al, 2010), specifically fear and anxiety (Cheung-Blunden & Blunden, 2008). All of which can contribute to the existing narrative of public preference for punitive methods over rehabilitative (O'Hear & Wheelock, 2016;Rothwell et al, 2021) due to a lack of understanding and knowledge surrounding the experiences of ISCOs. Lastly, forensic psychology overlaps with the discipline of criminology, of which syllabi encompasses the monetary values involved in the imprisonment and rehabilitative care of ISCOs; which is included in the final themes of economy.…”

“…Research into serial homicide is rare due to the low frequency, and as such, sexual offending can be used for a comparison as both crimes evoke negative emotions from the general public (Olver & Barlow, 2010;Willis et al, 2010), such as the big five: anger, fear, resentment, frustration, and anxiety (Cheung-Blunden & Blunden, 2008). Generalised research suggests the public prefer punitive methods over rehabilitative (O'Hear & Wheelock, 2016), with sexual offences, and arguably ISCOs, at the forefront of punitive judgments (Rothwell et al, 2021). With this similarity in mind, sentencing policies for ISCOs of serious crimes, such as homicide or sexual offending, do not necessarily reflect public opinion (Levenson et al, 2007;Piquero & Steinberg, 2010).…”

“…(ES, Forensic Psychology student) This student has detailed the opposing view, disagreeing with the reallocation of taxpayers' money, but it is universally understood that economic growth is not possible without monetary input. ISCO's experiences whilst imprisoned, with or without rehabilitative measures, cannot be improved without allowing governmental reallocation of resources, as current perceptions of punishment and rehabilitation (Rothwell et al, 2021) would suggest public disapproval with this use of taxes. However, improved accessibility of forensic psychology-specific education may sway public voting towards reallocation of governmental funds.…”