Sexual Offending : A Criminological Perspective

There is growing recognition that sexual offending is a multi-determined phenomenon requiring a multi-disciplinary perspective. The significant contribution of psychology and psychiatry, but also sociology, gender studies and anthropology to the study of sex offending and perpetrators of sex offenses has played a key role in the development of a distinct field of research. In recent years, however, there has been an increase in criminological research on the topic, introducing criminological theory and concepts, scientific evidence and observations, and new methodologies to the field.

This book brings together international leading scholars to consider key topics on sex offending and, where possible, compare and contrast criminological viewpoints with those of other disciplines, such as psychology and psychiatry. This book considers the following questions:

• Are the key explanatory factors of sex offenses completely distinct and different from those of non-sex crime and delinquency?
• Are current models explaining adult sex offending also applicable to explain sex crimes on college campuses, female sex offending, sexual exploitation, sexual homicide, or child luring over the internet?
• Are today’s youth involved in sex offenses tomorrow’s adult perpetrators of sex crimes?
• What is the risk of sexual recidivism and are risk assessment tools effective to identify individuals at-risk of committing another sex crime in the future?
• Are current legal measures used to prevent sex crimes effective? What are the known effects of such measures?
• What are the issues and challenges related to the criminal investigation of sex offenses?

This book is essential reading for students and researchers from disciplines such as criminology, psychiatry, psychology, sexology, social work and sociology, as well as criminal justice professionals and practitioners such as police investigators, prosecutors, judges, probation/parole officers, and treatment providers/counsellors involved with individuals having perpetrated sex offenses.

Patrick Lussier is a Professor of Criminology at the School of Social Work and Criminology at the Université Laval, in Quebec City, Canada.

Eric Beauregard is a Professor in the School of Criminology at Simon Fraser University, Canada.