Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law

Although recidivism is lower amongst sexual offenders who have received treatment than those who have not, evaluation and treatment studies reach different numbers on recidivism rates and effectiveness. The question still remains as to what exactly works for whom, i.e. does one kind of treatment work for all sexual offenders? In this empirical study effort was made to develop a sex offender typology that refers to treatment relevant factors and characteristics in order to improve specific treatment approaches. In a first step we conducted an expert survey to identify treatment relevant factors for the later typology. In the main part of the study 199 sexual offenders incarcerated in German prison and forensic facilities were examined according to the identified characteristics. A cluster analysis resulted in five subtypes of sexual offenders. This five cluster solution distinguishes between

1. the socially and mentally unremarkable offender
2. the highly discernable psychopathological offender
3. the overly adapted offender
4. the mentally handicapped offender
5. the antisocial offender.

Criminological relevant characteristics and implications for type related interventions are discussed.

For more information see: Woessner, G.: Classifying sexual offenders: An empirical model for generating type-specific approaches to intervention. In: International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 2010, 54/3, pp. 327 – 345.