Daniel Hilliker

... The significance of offenders' modus oper-andi is highlighted by evidence that offenders engage in repetitive patterns of behavior (Grotti, Burgess ... of-fender and victim treatment efforts, as well as efforts to prevent child sexual abuse (see Kaufman, Hilliker, Lathrop, & Daleiden ...

Recent evidence suggests that child sexual offenders' self-report can provide a reliable source of information regarding offenders' use of threats and violence. However, the majority of studies in this area have specifically focused on coercion occurring within sexually abusive acts. The current investigation examined the accuracy of offenders' self-report regarding their use of threats and violence with child and adolescent victims during two time periods: (1) while attempting to secure victims' cooperation in sexual activities; and (2) while seeking to maintain victims' silence regarding the abuse. The responses of 16 offenders in an incarcerated treatment setting and 16 in an outpatient treatment program were compared with treatment staff's responses on an anonymous questionnaire. Findings generally indicated a high level of concordance between offender and staff reports. However, both groups of offenders significantly under-reported their use of threats and violence for both time periods. While some of the under-reported items reflected overt forms of violence (e.g., forced participation), the majority represented subtle, manipulative, and/or implied threats. Implications for future studies and clinical applications are discussed.

Clinical practice has long supported the use of structured interviews with both perpetrators and victims of sexual offenses. However, empirical studies have not examined the differential utility of structured interviews and self-report questionnaires for obtaining information about sex offenders' modus operandi. This investigation compared the ability of these two assessment approaches to provide details regarding sexual offenders' modus operandi from

The present clinical and theoretical literature suggests that adolescents' sexual histories and fantasies are factors contributing to the onset and perpetuation of criminal sexual behaviors. However, few data exist either to support or to refute such assertions. The purpose of the present study was to describe the self-reported sexual histories and fantasies of four groups: 104 incarcerated adolescent sexual offenders between 10 and 15 years of age, 198 16- to 20-year-old incarcerated sexual offenders, 124 incarcerated youth without a history of sexual offending, and 135 male nonoffending undergraduates. Youthful sexual offenders reported fewer consenting sexual experiences and more involvement in nonconsenting and paraphilic behaviors than both incarcerated nonsexual offenders and college males. Moreover, both sexual offenders and incarcerated nonsexual offenders reported more atypical and voyeuristic experiences, and fewer nondeviant sexual fantasies than college males. These results are discussed in terms of both social deficit and deviant conditioning models of sexual offending, leading to speculation that, contrary to clinical lore, criminal activity may be associated with suppressed levels of nondeviant fantasy rather than elevated levels of deviant fantasy.

... Fara E. McCrady: Children's Hospital of Columbus Ohio State University. Andrea L. Rotzien: Children's Hospital of Columbus Ohio State University. Eric L. Daleiden: University of Tulsa. Daniel R. Hilliker: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Abstract. ...