In Search for Differences Among Sex Offenders? A Latent Class Analysis of Sex Offenders on Belgian Register Data

• In Event: Criminal Career and Life-course Perspectives on Sex Crime

Abstract

In this presentation, a series of empirically robust latent classes of sex-offenders are analyzed using a sample of convicted sex offenders (n=886). Register data from Belgium’s official conviction data base are used. Using class models , we assess whether the typologies that are empirically described can be reproduced in hands-on versus hands-off sex-offenders, offenders who are convicted for a sex offence prior to age 25 as compared to offenders convicted for a sex offence later in life, offenders committing sex offences towards minors versus adult victims, offenders’ relationship to the victim (prior relationship or stranger) and solo versus group offenders .
As most of the sex offender criminal career literature draws on samples of sex-offenders in Anglo-Saxon countries, it is important to find out to what extent these findings are robust or differ by context. In our presentation we will focus on a description of the data, the tests conducted and the primary results. The implications of these findings for futures studies of criminal careers of sex-offenders will be discussed.

Authors

• Luc Robert, NICC (National Institute of Forensic Sciences and Criminology)

• Lieven Pauwels, Ghent University

• Eric Maes, NICC

• Rembert De Blander, NICC