ABSTRACT
Recent studies of sexual offenders have found that the measurable constructs of psychopathy and sexual deviance can account for most of the explainable variance in reoffense rates (Brown & Forth, 1997; Rice & Harris, 1997; Rice, Harris, & Quinsey, 1990; Rice, Quinsey, & Harris, 1991). In one recent study of 288 child molesters and rapists followed for an average of 10 years, psychopathy and sexual deviance exhibited a multiplicative interaction effect on sexual recidivism, but not violent recidivism. Data suggested that sexual deviance may be the most important factor for child molesters, whereas general criminality, lack of self-control, and psychopathy may be more important for rapists. Sexual offenders whose victims include adult women and children of both genders appear to be the most dangerous of all (Rice & Harris, 1997).
