Sexual offenders with learning disabilities: risk, recidivism and treatment

Abstract

While the literature on the assessment, treatment and management of non-learning disabled sexual offenders is well established, it is only in recent years that researchers and clinicians have focused on sexual offenders with learning disabilities. In contrast to mainstream sex offender treatment programmes, there are few evaluated community-based treatment programmes for sexual offenders with learning disabilities, and of the small number of published studies that describe treatment programmes, most are based on small samples and few have been validated empirically. Sexual offenders with learning disabilities differ from their non-disabled counterparts in several important ways, having implications for management and treatment. Due to methodological differences between studies, the prevalence of sexual offending by men with learning disabilities is not clear. However, in some studies, the sexual recidivism rate of offenders with learning disabilities is 6.8 times and 3.5 times that of non-disabled sexual offenders at 2-and 4-years' follow-up, respectively. Sexual offenders with learning disabilities are also at greater risk of re-offending in a shorter time period. There remains an urgent need for further research into the assessment of risk and whether components from mainstream treatment programmes can be adapted to meet the needs of learning disabled sexual offenders. Approaches to working with sexual offenders with learning disabilities and programme development are discussed.

Sexual behavioural disorders and intellectual disability: A case study of counterfeit deviance

“…The incidence of sexual offending is four to six times higher among offenders living with an ID than in the general population (Barron et al, 2002). Especially since the risk of recurrence is statistically higher for offenders living with an ID (Craig and Hutchinson, 2005). However, they go through the same psychosexual development stages as any other citizen and they have the same rights regarding sexual health (Faucher, 2012).…”

Negative relating styles of learning-disabled and non-learning-disabled offenders

“…Birtchnell (2002) rates within the LD population in comparison to the general population (Griffiths et al, 1985), LD offenders remain a relatively under-researched group (Craig & Hutchinson, 2005).…”

“…The majority of studies have focused on LD sexual offenders with limited research on other types of LD offenders. Despite higher recidivism Final peer reviewed manuscript accepted in Journal of Forensic Practice, 2017. rates within the LD population in comparison to the general population (Griffiths et al, 1985), LD offenders remain a relatively under-researched group (Craig & Hutchinson, 2005).…”

“…Newberry and Shuker (2011) found that prisoners with lower levels of intellectual ability had increased psychological instability and greater treatment needs. Such gaps in knowledge need to be addressed in order to assess whether the findings of Shine andBirtchnell (2002) rates within the LD population in comparison to the general population (Griffiths et al, 1985), LD offenders remain a relatively under-researched group (Craig & Hutchinson, 2005).It is, therefore, important to compare LD and non-LD offenders in terms of their relating styles and to assess whether an association between specific offence categories and different negative relating styles exist within the LD population.This study compares the negative relating styles of LD and non-LD offenders, further examining the relationship between specific offence categories and different forms of negative relating within an LD sample. The research sought to test whether the findings of Shine and Birtchnell (2002) and Newberry and Birtchnell (2011) could be applied to LD offenders.…”

Comportements sexuels problématiques et déficience intellectuelle : étude d’un cas de déviance contrefaite

“…Il faut tenir compte du fait que l'incidence de la délinquance sexuelle est de quatre à six fois plus élevée chez les délinquants vivant avec une DI que dans la population globale (Barron et al, 2002). D'autant plus que le risque de récidive est statistiquement plus élevé pour cette même clientèle (Craig et Hutchinson, 2005). Pourtant, ces personnes font face aux mêmes stades de développe-ment psychosexuel que tout autre citoyen et elles possèdent les mêmes droits à l'égard de la santé sexuelle (Faucher, 2012).…”