ABSTRACT
Even prosecution and imprisonment does little to break or diminish the cycle, as fantasy plays a very large part in the offending process and is obviously an uncontrollable factor, even when in prison. A large proportion of child sexual abuse victims mature to be satisfactory and sometimes extraordinary spouses and parents. The fantasies created and repeatedly experienced by imprisoned child sex offenders may well develop into future offences – the concern being that over the period of incarceration the fantasies will increase both in regularity and, more concerning, in sexually deviant severity. D. Finkelhor suggests a number of elements contained in an individual’s life that may, when combined, motivate that person to actively engage in behaviour that will lead to the sexual abuse of a child. These elements can be sexual preference, emotional and/or behavioural similarity to children, emotional loneliness or being socially ostracised.
