Assessing Gender Specific Risk Factors for Sexual Perpetration and Victimization in Prison

• In Event: Treatment of Sex Offenders

Abstract

The passage of the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) highlighted the importance of preventing and responding to sexual victimization in prisons. Many states have developed assessment instruments to identify those inmates at risk for sexual perpetration and victimization. However, these tools were primarily developed from research conducted on male inmates. Female sexual aggressors and victims may exhibit unique risk factors, which are not accurately assessed by the use of current risk assessment tools. Based on data collected from women incarcerated in a Midwestern state, we assess whether there are risk factors for sexual victimization and perpetration that might improve prediction beyond those captured on an existing risk assessment instrument.

Authors

• Sara Noel Toto, University of Nebraska at Omaha

• Benjamin Steiner, University of Nebraska at Omaha

• Emily Wright, University of Nebraska at Omaha