Substance Abuse Among High-Risk Sexual Offenders: Do Measures of Lifetime History of Substance Abuse Add to the Prediction of Recidivism Over Actuarial Risk Assessment Instruments?
Restricted accessOtherFirst published online March, 2011
Substance Abuse Among High-Risk Sexual Offenders: Do Measures of Lifetime History of Substance Abuse Add to the Prediction of Recidivism Over Actuarial Risk Assessment Instruments?
There has been relatively little research on the degree to which measures of lifetime history of substance abuse add to the prediction of risk based on actuarial measures alone among sexual offenders. This issue is of relevance in that a history of substance abuse is related to relapse to substance using behavior. Furthermore, substance use has been found to be related to recidivism among sexual offenders. To investigate whether lifetime history of substance abuse adds to prediction over and above actuarial instruments alone, several measures of substance abuse were administered in conjunction with the Sex Offender Risk Appraisal Guide (SORAG). The SORAG was found to be the most accurate actuarial instrument for the prediction of serious recidivism (i.e., sexual or violent) among the sample included in the present investigation. Complete information, including follow-up data, were available for 250 offenders who attended the Regional Treatment Centre Sex Offender Treatment Program (RTCSOTP). The Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST) and the Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST) were used to assess lifetime history of substance abuse. The results of logistic regression procedures indicated that both the SORAG and the MAST independently added to the prediction of serious recidivism. The DAST did not add to prediction over the use of the SORAG alone. Implications for both the assessment and treatment of sexual offenders are discussed.
Abbey, A. ( 1991). Acquaintance rape and alcohol consumption on college campuses: How are they linked? American Journal of College Health, 39, 165-170.
2.
Abracen, J., & Looman, J. ( 2004). Issues in the treatment of sexual offenders: Recent developments and directions for future research. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 9, 229-246.
3.
Abracen, J., & Looman, J. ( 2006). Evaluation of civil commitment criteria in a high risk sample of sexual offenders. Journal of Sexual Offender Civil Commitment: Science and the Law, 1, 124-140.
4.
Abracen, J., Looman, J., & Anderson, D. ( 2000). Alcohol and drug abuse in sexual and nonsexual violent offenders. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment , 12, 263-274.
5.
Abracen, J., Looman, J., Di Fazio, R., Kelly, T., & Stirpe, T. ( 2006). Patterns of attachment and alcohol abuse in sexual and non-sexual violent offenders. Journal of Sexual Aggression , 12, 19-30.
6.
Abracen, J., Looman, J., & Langton, C.M. ( 2008). Treatment of sexual offenders with psychopathic traits: Recent research developments and clinical implications. Trauma, Violence & Abuse, 9, 144-166.
7.
Andrews, D.A., & Bonta, J. ( 2003). The psychology of criminal conduct (3rd ed.). Cincinnati, OH: Anderson .
8.
Baltieri, D.A., & Guerra de Andrade, A. (2008). Drug consumption among sexual offenders against females. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 52, 62-80.
9.
Beech, A.R., & Ward, T. ( 2004). The integration of etiology and risk in sexual offenders: A theoretical framework. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 10, 31-63.
10.
Begin, P., Weekes, J., & Thomas, G. ( 2006). The Canadian addiction survey: Substance use and misuse among theCanadian population. Forum on Corrections Research , 18, 12-18.
11.
Boles, S.M., & Miotto, K. ( 2003). Substance abuse and violence: A review of the literature . Aggression and Violent Behavior, 8, 155-174.
12.
Christie, M.M., Marshall, W.L., & Lanthier, R.D. (1979). A descriptive study of incarcerated rapists and pedophiles. Report to the Solicitor General of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario .
13.
Doren, D.M. ( 2002). Evaluating sex offenders: A manual for civil commitments and beyond. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
14.
Douglas, K., & Skeem, J. ( 2005). Violence risk assessment: Getting specific about being dynamic. Psychology, Public Policy & Law, 11, 347-383.
15.
Felson, R.B., Burchfield, K.B., & Teasdale, B. ( 2007). The impact of alcohol on different types of violent incidents . Criminal Justice and Behavior, 34, 1057-1068.
16.
Hanson, R.K. ( 2006). Stability and change: Dynamic risk factors for sexual offenders. In W. L. Marshall, Y. M. Fernandez, L. E. Marshall , & G. A. Serran (Eds.), Sexual offender treatment: Controversial issues (pp. 17-32). Chichester, UK: John Wiley.
17.
Hanson, R.K., Morton, K.E., & Harris, A.J.R. (2003). Sexual offender recidivism risk: What we know and what we need to know. Annals of the New York Academy of Science, 989, 154-166.
18.
Hanson, R.K., & Morton-Bourgon, K.E. (2009). The accuracy of recidivism risk assessments for sexual offenders: A meta-analysis of 118 prediction studies . Psychological Assessment, 21, 1-21.
19.
Hanson, R.K., & Thornton, D. ( 2000). Improving risk assessment for sex offenders: A comparison of three actuarial scales. Law and Human Behavior, 24, 119-136.
20.
Hare, R.D. ( 1991). Manual for the Revised Psychopathy Checklist. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Multi-Health Systems.
21.
Hare, R.D. ( 2003). The Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) (2nd ed.). Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Multi-Health Systems.
22.
Hildebrand, M., de Ruiter, C., & de Vogel, V. ( 2004). Psychopathy and sexual deviance in treated rapists: Association with (sexual) recidivism. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 16, 1-24.
23.
Hull, J.G., & Slone, L.B. ( 2004). Alcohol and self-regulation. In R. F. Baumeister & K. D. Vohs (Eds.), Handbook of self-regulation: Research, theory, and applications (pp. 466-491). New York: Guilford.
24.
Kingston, D.A., Firestone, P., Wexler, A., & Bradford, J.M. (2008). Factors associated with recidivism among intrafamilial child molesters. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 14, 3-18.
25.
Klostermann, K.C., & Fals-Stewart, W. (2006). Intimate partner violence and alcohol use: Exploring the role of drinking in partner violence and its implications for intervention. Aggression and Violent Behavior , 11, 587-597.
26.
Langevin, R., & Lang, R.A. ( 1990). Substance abuse among sex offenders. Annals of Sex Research, 3, 397-424.
27.
Langevin, R., Langevin, M., Curnoe, S., & Bain, J. ( 2006). Generational substance abuse among male sexual offenders and paraphilics. Victims & Offenders, 1, 395-409.
28.
Långström, N., Sjöstedt, G., & Grann, M. ( 2004). Psychiatric disorders and recidivism in sexual offenders . Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 16, 139-150.
29.
Looman, J. ( 2006). Comparison of two risk assessment instruments for sexual offenders. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment , 18, 193-206.
30.
Looman, J., Abracen, J., Di Fazio, R., & Maillet, G. ( 2004). Alcohol and drug abuse among sexual and non-sexual offenders: Relationship to intimacy deficits and coping strategy. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 16, 177-190.
31.
Looman, J., Abracen, J., & Nicholaichuk, T.P. (2000). Recidivism among treated sexual offenders and matched controls: Data from the Regional Treatment Centre (Ontario). Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 15, 279-290.
32.
Looman, J., Abracen, J., Serin, R., & Marquis, P. ( 2005). Psychopathy, treatment change and recidivism in high risk high need sexual offenders. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 20, 549-568.
33.
Marlatt, G. A. (Ed.). (1998). Harm reduction: Pragmatic strategies for managing high-risk behaviors. New York: Guilford.
34.
Marshall, W.L. ( 1989). Invited essay: Intimacy, loneliness and sexual offenders . Behaviour Research and Therapy, 27, 491-503.
35.
Marshall, W.L. ( 1993). The role of attachment, intimacy, and loneliness in the etiology and maintenance of sexual offending. Sexual and Marital Therapy, 8, 109-121.
36.
Pernanen, K. ( 1991). Alcohol in human violence. New York : Guilford.
37.
Prentky, R.A., Janus, E., Barbaree, H., Schwartz, B.K., & Kafka, M.P. ( 2006). Sexually violent predators in the courtroom: Science on trial. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 12, 357-393.
38.
Quinsey, V.L., Harris, G.T., Rice, M.E., & Cormier, C.A. ( 1998). Violent offenders: Appraising and managing risk. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association .
39.
Rada, R.T. ( 1975).Alcohol and rape. Medical Aspects of Human Sexuality, 9, 48-65.
40.
Selzer, M.L. ( 1971). The Michigan alcoholism screening test: The quest for a new diagnostic instrument. American Journal of Psychiatry , 127, 1653-1658.
41.
Skinner, H.A. ( 1982). The drug abuse screening test. Addictive Behaviors, 7, 363-371.
42.
Steele, C.M., & Josephs, R.A. ( 1990). Alcohol myopia: Its prized and dangerous effects. American Psychologist, 45, 921-933.
43.
Testa, M. ( 2002). The impact of men’s alcohol consumption on perpetuation of sexual aggression. Clinical Psychology Review, 22, 1239-1263.
44.
Ward, T., & Stewart, C.A. ( 2003). Good lives and the rehabilitation of sexual offenders . In T. Ward, D. R. Laws, & S. M. Hudson (Eds.), Sexual deviance: Issues and controversies (pp. 21-44). London: Sage.
45.
Ward, T., Vess, J., Collie, R.M., & Gannon, T.A. ( 2006). Risk management or goods promotion: The relationship between approach and avoidance goals in treatment for sex offenders. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 11, 378-393.
