Pedophilia and Psychological Profiling

What is a child molester or pedophile?

v     “A slightly older individual who engages in any type of sexual activity with individuals legally defined as children.”

v     “A lover of children.”

v     “Person who has developed a sexual interest in children that ranges from fondling to mutilation and murder.”

o       Specificity is needed for a more accurate ability to aid in investigation.

Two main types of pedophiles

1.      Situational child molesters

a.       Don’t have a true sexual interest in children

b.      Will experiment with children when stress is introduced into life

                                                                          i.      Seen as victim of circumstance

c.       Has the fewest number of victims

d.      Will not limit victims to just children but will also prey upon the elderly, sick, or mentally impaired

e.       Several subtypes (see Table 1)

Adapted from Child Molesters: A Behavioral Analysis (p. 8), National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Washington, DC, 1985.

                                                                          i.      Regressed child molester

1.      This pedophile has a situational occurrence that impels him to turn to children. This turn is only temporary and will revert back.

2.      Traditionally involved with adults. For example, being married and having a family.

3.      When life stress gets to a regressed offender the children become an outlet. They usually feel more comfortable with children.

4.      Also, they are geographically stable, employed, and may have some substance abuse, and also may have low-self-esteem.

                                                                        ii.      Morally indiscriminate molester

1.      An abuser of all available persons. Children are simply included, but not the overall goal.

2.      Experiments’ sexually, “try-sexual,” that is willing to try or do anything. Such as bondage, tyndarianism (mate-swapping), and triolism (3-partner relationships).

3.      Can involve biological children or children by marriage in the sexual experiments because of their convenience.

                                                                      iii.      Naïve or inadequate molester

1.      Usually suffer from mental disorder that renders them unable to make the distinction between right and wrong. Examples: retardation or senility.

2.      Known throughout the neighborhood for being bizarre or strange.

3.      Loners, not by choice, but because they are not capable of establishing personal relationships with others.

4.      Doesn’t harm children, experiments with holding, fondling, kissing, licking, but not sexual intercourse, oral or anal sex.

5.      Views children as non-threatening and easier to deal with than adults, so they prefer children.

6.      Has a collection of pornography; however, it is not child porn.

2.      Preferential child molesters

a.       Prefer children as the providers of personal and sexual gratification

b.      Seek out children for their needs and wants

c.       Subtypes:

                                                                          i.      Mysoped child molester and killer

1.      Sadist; has made the connection between sexual gratification and personal violence

2.      Usually male

3.      Typically the victim is a stranger to the aggressor

4.      May stalk the child rather than use a form of seduction; may take victim by force using his size as an advantage

5.      Abducts children from playgrounds, schools, shopping centers, and other places children gather

6.      Has no “love” for children; only interested in causing harm and eventual death to a vulnerable victim

7.      Crime is premeditated and ritualized

8.      Example would be Albert Fish

                                                                        ii.      Fixated child molester

1.      Has little or no activity with people his own age, and is usually single and considered immature; uncomfortable around adults

2.      Offender is childlike himself in his lifestyle and behaviors

3.      Likes children for their less demanding ways, easily dominated, and less critical mentalities

4.      “Loves” children and doesn’t want to harm them; courts them and buys gifts as a seduction ploy and slowly becomes intimate with the child

5.      Oral-genital sex is the norm and actual intercourse develops only after a very long period of time has passed

Profiling Child Molester Types (see Table 2)

A.    Three important factors to look at when profiling molesters:

1. Victimization ritual

2. Method of selection

3. Abducting process

Other helpful profiling leads:

v     Geographical stability of the molester

v     Police records

v     Fact that abused children will sometimes abuse as well

v     Never assume sex of offender based on sex of victim

Reference

Holmes, R. M., & Holmes, S. T. (2002). Pedophilia and psychological profiling. In R. M. Holmes, & S. T. Holmes, Profiling violent crimes: An investigative tool (3^rd ed.) (pp. 158–171). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Addendum: Nonfamily Child Abductors Who Murder Their Victims

• Nonfamily child abductions have a low rate of occurrence
• However, they are highly publicized and tend to overwhelm most communities’ local police force.
• This is a study of nonfamily child abductors who murdered. The information was gathered from interviews with incarcerated offenders, and reviews of criminal, medical, and psychological records.

Previous Research

• Vast majority (97%) male
• Mostly white
• Usually young adult (mean age 27)
• Female killers in this category are nearly nonexistent

Method

• Interview process
• Three main criteria

1. victim was less than 18 years old
2. offender was convicted of murder
3. victim was abducted by the offender

• 25 child abductors who murdered participated

Results

• Gender: All offenders were male; females did abduct, but none killed
• Age: Mean was 27, range was 14–58, 72% were younger than 30
• Race: majority white, interpret with caution
• Marital history: 60% were not married at time of offense, 24% were divorced, 8% were in common law marriages, 8% were married
• Children: 56% had no children at time of offense, 16% only had one child, 20% had two children, no one had three children, and 8% had four or more children
• Education: Little formal education; only 8% had some college education
• Occupation: Most had lower-level unskilled jobs, only 8% had skilled positions
• Military: 76% did not have military history
• Religion: 88% grew up in a Christian household and 72% still considered themselves Christian
• Animal abuse: 20% had history of animal abuse
• Psychiatric: 36% had a psychiatric diagnosis prior to offense, perhaps an underestimate
• Family background: 56% lived with both biological parents during childhood, 40% had mothers that were unemployed, 16% reported having occasional instability and disruption in their household
• Family incarceration: 24% reported at least one parent had been incarcerated
• Offender incarceration history: 40% had previous incarceration, almost half had a juvenile offense history
• Childhood behavior patterns: Chronic problems from birth to age 12, including enuresis, isolation, lying, arson, and alcohol and drug abuse
• Adolescent behavior patterns: Increase in drug and alcohol abuse, isolation was significant problem, and decrease in enuresis and arson
• Adult behavior patterns: No one reported enuresis; lower levels of arson and lying; drug and alcohol abuse were elevated
• Sexual behavior history: 28% were sexually molested, 20% had printed pornography collection, no one had video pornography collection, 88% were heterosexual, 20% identified themselves as pedophiles
• Psychopathy: Only 4 of 20 offenders classified as psychopaths

Discussion

• Findings are consistent with previous literature
• Interviews allow for a more in-depth view of offenders
• No glaring warning signs that could predict an offense
• Many offenders are not socially integrated within society
• Majority of offenders did not meet criteria for classification as a psychopath
• Self-reported data and small sample size may complicate results

Reference

Beyer, K. R., & Beasley, J. O. (2003). Nonfamily child abductors who murder their victims: Offender demographics from interviews with incarcerated offenders. In J. H. Campbell & D. DeNevi (Eds.), Profilers: Leading investigators take you inside the criminal mind. (pp. 313–333) Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books.

On the Web: http://www.csbsju.edu/uspp/CrimPsych/CPSG-6.htm

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