Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

The contributory role of autism symptomology in child pornography offending: why there is an urgent need for empirical research in this area

The contributory role of autism symptomology in child pornography offending: why there is an... As recently highlighted by Creaby-Attwood and Allely (2017), it is crucial that the possible innate vulnerabilities that contributed to sexual offending behaviour in an individual with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are taken into consideration for the application of a diversion programme to avoid the stigma of a criminal conviction or during sentencing for a non-custodial outcome. Specifically, in those defendants with a diagnosis of what used to be referred to as Asperger’s syndrome (AS) and now is recognised as an ASD and who are charged and convicted of a non-contact sexual offense, education and mental health intervention will best serve the interests of justice. The paper aims to discuss this issue.Design/methodology/approachThis paper focusses on one particular type of sexual offending behaviour, namely, possession of child pornography. A systematic PRISMA review was conducted.FindingsThe authors linked examples of child pornography in the research literature to the ASD symptomology and describe how the symptomology explains such behaviour as not reflecting actual sexual deviance.Originality/valueDownloading and viewing of child pornography by individuals with ASD has received relatively little research outside the mental health field. This review is of particular importance to those in the criminal justice system who may not have much knowledge and understanding of ASD. It is suggested that diversion programmes and mental health courts should be set up for this particular population charged with this particular crime in mind so that the necessary treatment/intervention/support and care can be given to this particular group. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Intellectual Disabilities and Offending Behaviour Emerald Publishing

The contributory role of autism symptomology in child pornography offending: why there is an urgent need for empirical research in this area

Download PDF
24 pages

Loading next page...
 
/lp/emerald-publishing/the-contributory-role-of-autism-symptomology-in-child-pornography-0r0qiNBifm
Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
© Emerald Publishing Limited
ISSN
2050-8824
DOI
10.1108/jidob-06-2018-0008
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

As recently highlighted by Creaby-Attwood and Allely (2017), it is crucial that the possible innate vulnerabilities that contributed to sexual offending behaviour in an individual with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are taken into consideration for the application of a diversion programme to avoid the stigma of a criminal conviction or during sentencing for a non-custodial outcome. Specifically, in those defendants with a diagnosis of what used to be referred to as Asperger’s syndrome (AS) and now is recognised as an ASD and who are charged and convicted of a non-contact sexual offense, education and mental health intervention will best serve the interests of justice. The paper aims to discuss this issue.Design/methodology/approachThis paper focusses on one particular type of sexual offending behaviour, namely, possession of child pornography. A systematic PRISMA review was conducted.FindingsThe authors linked examples of child pornography in the research literature to the ASD symptomology and describe how the symptomology explains such behaviour as not reflecting actual sexual deviance.Originality/valueDownloading and viewing of child pornography by individuals with ASD has received relatively little research outside the mental health field. This review is of particular importance to those in the criminal justice system who may not have much knowledge and understanding of ASD. It is suggested that diversion programmes and mental health courts should be set up for this particular population charged with this particular crime in mind so that the necessary treatment/intervention/support and care can be given to this particular group.

Journal

Journal of Intellectual Disabilities and Offending Behaviour – Emerald Publishing

Published: Nov 29, 2018

Keywords: Autism; Sentencing; Aspergers; Child exploitative material; Child pornography; Pre-trial diversion

References

  • Sexual offending and autism spectrum disorders
    Allely, C.; Creaby-Attwood, A.
  • Experiences of prison inmates with Autism Spectrum Disorders and the knowledge and understanding of the spectrum amongst prison staff: a review
    Allely, C.S.
  • Autism spectrum disorders in the criminal justice system: police interviewing, the courtroom and the prison environment
    Allely, C.S.
  • Jurors’ and judges’ evaluation of defendants with autism and the impact on sentencing: a systematic preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) review of autism spectrum disorder in the courtroom
    Allely, C.S.; Cooper, P.
  • Offending behaviour in adults with Asperger syndrome
    Allen, D.; Evans, C.; Hider, A.; Hawkins, S.; Peckett, H.; Morgan, H.
  • Classification for effective rehabilitation: rediscovering psychology
    Andrews, D.A.; Bonta, J.; Hoge, R.D.
  • Forensic aspects of Asperger’s Syndrome
    Barry-Walsh, J.B.; Mullen, P.E.
  • A psychometric typology of child abusers
    Beech, A.R.
  • The ‘Butner Study’ redux: a report of the incidence of hands-on child victimization by child pornography offenders
    Bourke, M.L.; Hernandex, A.E.
  • Autism spectrum disorder and sexually inappropriate behaviors: an introduction for caregivers and professionals
    Brown, J.; Anderson, G.; Cooney-Koss, L.
  • Epidemiology of autism spectrum disorders in adults in the community in England
    Brugha, T.S.; McManus, S.; Bankart, J.; Scott, F.; Purdon, S.; Smith, J.; Bebbington, P.; Jenkins, R.; Meltzer, H.
  • Child pornography and the internet: policing and treatment issues
    Burke, A.; Sowerbutts, S.; Blundell, B.; Sherry, M.
  • Challenging stereotypes: sexual functioning of single adults with high functioning autism spectrum disorder
    Byers, E.S.; Nichols, S.; Voyer, S.D.
  • Sexual well-being of a community sample of high-functioning adults on the autism spectrum who have been in a romantic relationship
    Byers, E.S.; Nichols, S.; Voyer, S.D.; Reilly, G.
  • Survivor’s survey
  • Principles for prosecutors considering child pornography charges against persons with Asperger’s syndrome
    Carley, M.J.; Gerhardt, P.; Jekel, D.; Klin, A.
  • Case report: Asperger’s syndrome and sexual offending
    Chesterman, P.; Rutter, S.C.
  • You can’t judge a book by its cover: evolving professional responsibilities, liabilities and ‘judgecraft’ when a party has Asperger’s Syndrome
    Cooper, P.; Allely, C.S.
  • A psycho-legal perspective on sexual offending in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder
    Creaby-Attwood, A.; Allely, C.S.
  • Autism and child pornography: a toxic combination
    Cutler, E.
  • Current Practice and Research into Internet Sex Offending
    Davidson, J.
  • Beyond Guilt or Innocence
    Debbaudt, D.
  • A validation study of the child pornography offender risk tool (CPORT)
    Eke, A.W.; Helmus, L.M.; Seto, M.C.
  • Examining the criminal history and future offending of child pornography offenders: an extended prospective follow-up study
    Eke, A.W.; Seto, M.C.; Williams, J.
  • The consumption of Internet child pornography and violent and sex offending
    Endrass, J.; Urbaniok, F.; Hammermeister, L.C.; Benz, C.; Elbert, T.; Laubacher, A.; Rossegger, A.
  • Autism spectrum disorder: forensic issues and challenges for mental health professionals and courts
    Freckelton, I.
  • Asperger’s disorder, criminal responsibility and criminal culpability
    Freckelton Sc, I.; List, D.
  • Risk assessment of online child abuse material (CAM) offenders: a review of existing tools
    Garrington, C.; Chamberlain, P.; Rickwood, D.; Boer, D.P.
  • The complex experience of child pornography survivors
    Gewirtz-Meydan, A.; Walsh, W.; Wolak, J.; Finkelhor, D.
  • Brief report: violence in Asperger syndrome, a critique
    Ghaziuddin, M.; Tsai, L.; Ghaziuddin, N.
  • Developing the helping skills and prosocial motivation of aggressive adolescents in peer group programs
    Gibbs, J.C.; Potter, G.; Barriga, A.Q.; Liau, A.K.
  • The potential of digital evidence to contribute to risk assessment of internet offenders
    Glasgow, D.
  • Criminal recidivism of illegal pornography offenders in the overall population-a national cohort study of 4612 offenders in Switzerland
    Goller, A.; Jones, R.; Dittmann, V.; Taylor, P.; Graf, M.
  • Asperger syndrome: one prisoner’s experience
    Gordon, R.
  • Sexuality and autism: a critical review of selected literature using a social-relational model of disability
    Gougeon, N.A.
  • Social and psychiatric functioning in adolescents with Asperger syndrome compared with conduct disorder
    Green, J.; Gilchrist, A.; Burton, D.; Cox, A.
  • An Asperger’s adolescent sex addict, sex offender: a case study
    Griffin-Shelley, E.
  • Persons with intellectual disabilities who sexually offend
    Griffiths, D.; Richards, D.; Fedoroff, P.; Fabian, M.; Saleh, M.D.; Albert, J.; Grudzinskas; John, M.; Bradford, M.D.; Daniel, J.; Brodsky, L.L.B.
  • Counterfeit deviance’ revisited
    Griffiths, D.; Hingsburger, D.; Hoath, J.; Ioannou, S.
  • Comparative efficiency of informal (subjective, impressionistic) and formal (mechanical, algorithmic) prediction procedures: the clinical–statistical controversy
    Grove, W.M.; Meehl, P.E.
  • Validation of Risk Matrix 2000 for use in Scotland
    Grubin, D.
  • The development of a brief actuarial risk scale for sexual offense recidivism
    Hanson, R.K.
  • Where should we intervene? Dynamic predictors of sexual offense recidivism
    Hanson, R.K.; Harris, A.J.R.
  • A structured approach to evaluating change among sexual offenders
    Hanson, R.K.; Harris, A.J.R.
  • The accuracy of recidivism risk assessments for sexual offenders: a meta-analysis
    Hanson, R.K.; Morton-Bourgon, K.E.
  • Static 99: improving actuarial risk assessments for sex offenders
    Hanson, R.K.; Thornton, D.
  • Improving risk assessments for sex offenders: a comparison of three actuarial scales
    Hanson, R.K.; Thornton, D.
  • Notes on the development of a static-2002
    Hanson, R.K.; Thornton, D.
  • Sexuality and autism: a nationwide survey in Denmark
    Haracopos, D.; Pedersen, L.
  • Asperger’s disorder and criminal behavior: forensic-psychiatric considerations
    Haskins, B.G.; Silva, J.A.
  • Improving the predictive accuracy of Static-99 and Static-2002 with older sex offenders: revised age weights
    Helmus, L.; Thornton, D.; Hanson, R.K.; Babchishin, K.M.
  • A cross-validation of the child pornography offender risk tool (CPORT)
    Helmus, M.; Eke, A.W.; Seto, M.C.
  • Looking beyond the screen: a critical review of the literature on the online child pornography offender
    Henshaw, M.; Ogloff, J.R.; Clough, J.A.
  • Autism spectrum disorder and sexual offending: responsivity in forensic interventions
    Higgs, T.; Carter, A.J.
  • Detecting counterfeit deviance: differentiating sexual deviance from sexual inappropriateness
    Hingsburger, D.; Griffiths, D.; Quinsey, V.
  • Brief report: no increase in criminal convictions in Hans Asperger’s original cohort
    Hippler, K.; Viding, E.; Klicpera, C.; Happé, F.
  • Criminal responsibility in Asperger’s syndrome
    Katz, N.; Zemishlany, Z.
  • Understanding the cognitions of Child Sexual Exploitation Material offenders
    Kettleborough, D.
  • The development of the children, internet, and sex cognitions scale (CISC): understanding the cognitions of child pornography offenders
    Kettleborough, D.; Merdian, H.
  • Validity and neuropsychological characterization of Asperger syndrome: convergence with nonverbal learning disabilities syndrome
    Klin, A.; Volkmar, F.R.; Sparrow, S.S.; Cicchetti, D.V.; Rourke, B.P.
  • The challenges of identifying and classifying child sexual abuse material
    Kloess, J.A.; Woodhams, J.; Whittle, H.; Grant, T.; Hamilton-Giachritsis, C.E.
  • A case series of five individuals with Asperger syndrome and sexual criminality
    Kumar, S.; Devendran, Y.; Radhakrishna, A.; Karanth, V.; Hongally, C.
  • An evaluation of the EQUIP treatment programme with men who have intellectual or other developmental disabilities
    Langdon, P.E.; Murphy, G.H.; Clare, I.C.; Palmer, E.J.; Rees, J.
  • Predicting hands-on child sexual offenses among possessors of internet child pornography
    Lee, A.F.; Li, N.C.; Lamade, R.; Schuler, A.; Prentky, R.A.
  • ‘I did what I was directed to do but he didn’t touch me’: the impact of being a victim of internet offending
    Leonard, M.M.
  • The PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies that evaluate health care interventions: explanation and elaboration
    Liberati, A.; Altman, D.G.; Tetzlaff, J.; Mulrow, C.; Gøtzsche, P.C.; Ioannidis, J.P.; Clarke, M.; Devereaux, P.J.; Kleijnen, J.; Moher, D.
  • KIRAT: law enforcement’s prioritization tool for investigating indecent image offenders
    Long, M.; Alison, L.; Tejeiro, R.; Hendricks, E.; Giles, S.
  • Child pornography and likelihood of contact abuse: a comparison between contact child sexual offenders and noncontact offenders
    Long, M.L.; Alison, L.A.; McManus, M.A.
  • The case for extending pretrial diversion to include possession of child pornography
    Long, S.J.
  • Lucy Faithfull Foundation ‘inform plus’ treatment manual
  • Childhood neurodevelopmental disorders and violent criminality: a sibling control study
    Lundström, S.; Forsman, M.; Larsson, H.; Kerekes, N.; Serlachius, E.; Långström, N.; Lichtenstein, P.
  • Characteristics and treatment of internet child pornography offenders
    Ly, T.; Dwyer, R.G.; Fedoroff, J.P.
  • Internet sexual activity: a comparison between contact and non-contact child pornography offenders
    McCarthy, J.A.
  • Exploring clinical and personality characteristics of adult Male internet-only child pornography offenders
    Magaletta, P.R.; Faust, E.; Bickart, W.; McLearen, A.M.
  • Asperger’s Syndrome and the criminal law: the special case of child pornography
    Mahoney, M.
  • Conceptualizing the harms done to children made the subjects of sexual abuse images online
    Martin, J.
  • Development of a case formulation model for individuals who have viewed, distributed, and/or shared Child Sexual Exploitation Material
    Merdian, H.L.; Perkins, D.E.; Dustagheer, E.; Glorney, E.
  • Does treatment work with Internet sex offenders? Emerging findings from the Internet Sex Offender Treatment Programme (i-SOTP)
    Middleton, D.; Mandeville-Norden, R.; Hayes, E.
  • An investigation into the applicability of the Ward and Siegert pathways model of child sexual abuse with internet offenders
    Middleton, D.; Elliott, I.A.; Mandeville-Norden, R.; Beech, A.R.
  • A preliminary assessment of police officers’ knowledge and perceptions of persons with disabilities
    Modell, S.J.; Mak, S.
  • Autism, sexual offending, and the criminal justice system
    Mogavero, M.C.; Mogavero, M.C.
  • Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement
    Moher, D.; Liberati, A.; Tetzlaff, J.; Altman, D.G.
  • Offenders with Asperger’s syndrome: experiences from within prison
    Morris, A.
  • Current status of research on autism spectrum disorders and offending
    Mouridsen, S.E.
  • Pervasive developmental disorders and criminal behaviour: a case control study
    Mouridsen, S.E.; Rich, B.; Isager, T.; Nedergaard, N.J.
  • Asperger’s syndrome in forensic settings
    Murrie, D.C.; Warren, J.I.; Kristiansson, M.; Dietz, P.E.
  • The construction and preliminary validation of the Internet Behaviours and Attitudes Questionnaire (IBAQ)
    O’Brien, M.D.; Webster, S.D.
  • The use of actuarial risk assessment measures with UK internet child pornography offenders
    Osborn, J.; Elliott, I.; Middleton, D.; Beech, A.
  • How well do young offenders with Asperger syndrome cope in custody?
    Paterson, P.
  • Coding rules for Static-2002
    Phenix, A.; Doren, D.; Helmus, L.; Hanson, R.K.; Thornton, D.
  • The COPINE project
    Quayle, E.
  • Model of problematic Internet use in people with a sexual interest in children
    Quayle, E.; Taylor, M.
  • Challenges to treating adolescents with Asperger’s syndrome who are sexually abusive
    Ray, F.; Marks, C.; Bray-Garretson, H.
  • Autism and porn: a problem no one talks about: Are people with autism more vulnerable to the lure of pornography?
    Robison, J.E.
  • Evaluation of a screening instrument for autism spectrum disorders in prisoners
    Robinson, L.; Spencer, M.D.; Thomson, L.D.; Stanfield, A.C.; Owens, D.G.; Hall, J.; Johnstone, E.C.
  • The criminal histories and later offending of child pornography offenders
    Seto, M.C.; Eke, A.W.
  • Predicting recidivism among adult male child pornography offenders: development of the child pornography offender risk tool (CPORT)
    Seto, M.C.; Eke, A.W.
  • Correlates of admitted sexual interest in children among individuals convicted of child pornography offenses
    Seto, M.C.; Eke, A.W.
  • Contact sexual offending by men with online sexual offenses
    Seto, M.C.; Hanson, R.K.; Babchishin, K.M.
  • Sexual abuse and offending in autism spectrum disorders
    Sevlever, M.; Roth, M.E.; Gillis, J.M.
  • Strengthening Canadian law enforcement and academic partnerships in the area of online child sexual exploitation: the identification of shared research directions
    Sinclair, R.; Duval, K.; Fox, E.
  • A method for careful study: a proposal for reforming the child pornography guidelines
    Stabenow, T.
  • The Asperger’s defence in digital child pornography investigations
    Steel, C.
  • High-functioning autism and sexuality: a parental perspective
    Stokes, M.A.; Kaur, A.N.
  • Unjust, irrational, and unconstitutional consequences of paedophilia panic
    Sullum, J.
  • Identifying individuals with autism in a state facility for adolescents adjudicated as sexual offenders: a pilot study
    Sutton, L.R.; Hughes, T.L.; Huang, A.; Lehman, C.; Paserba, D.; Talkington, V.; Taormina, R.; Walters, J.B.; Fenclau, E.; Marshall, S.
  • Autism spectrum disorder symptoms in juvenile suspects of sex offenses
    ‘t Hart-Kerkhoffs, L.A.; Jansen, L.M.; Doreleijers, T.A.; Vermeiren, R.; Minderaa, R.B.; Hartman, C.A.
  • Autism in the criminal justice system
    Taylor, K.; Mesiboy, G.; Debbaudt, D.
  • A typology of child pornography
    Taylor, M.; Holland, G.; Quayle, E.
  • Typology of paedophile picture collections
    Taylor, M.; Holland, G.; Quayle, E.
  • Constructing and testing a framework for dynamic risk assessment
    Thornton, D.
  • Autism-spectrum disorders in adolescence and adulthood: focus on sexuality
    Turner, D.; Briken, P.; Schöttle, D.
  • Recognition of emotions in autism: a formal meta-analysis
    Uljarevic, M.; Hamilton, A.
  • Characteristics of internet child pornography offenders: a comparison with child molesters
    Webb, L.; Craissati, J.; Keen, S.
  • Inter-rater reliability of dynamic risk assessment with sexual offenders
    Webster, S.D.; Mann, R.E.; Carter, A.J.; Long, J.; Milner, R.J.; O’Brien, M.D.; Wakeling, H.C.; Ray, N.L.
  • Asperger’s syndrome: a clinical account
    Wing, L.
  • The autistic spectrum
    Wing, L.
  • The violence risk scale: sexual offender version (VRS-SO)
    Wong, S.; Olver, M.E.; Nicholaichuk, T.P.; Gordon, A.
  • High functioning autistic spectrum disorders, offending and other law-breaking: findings from a community sample
    Woodbury-Smith, M.R.; Clare, I.C.H.; Holland, A.J.; Kearns, A.
  • A case-control study of offenders with high functioning autistic spectrum disorders
    Woodbury-Smith, M.R.; Clare, I.C.; Holland, A.J.; Kearns, A.; Staufenberg, E.; Watson, P.
  • Research developments in Child Sexual Exploitation Material offending
    Babchishin, K.
  • ‘I see dead people’: overcoming psychic numbness
    Brendel, D.H.; Bodkin, J.A.; Hauptman, B.; Ornstein, A.
  • Impaired recognition of basic emotions from facial expressions in young people with autism spectrum disorder: assessing the importance of expression intensity
    Griffiths, S.; Jarrold, C.; Penton-Voak, I.S.; Woods, A.T.; Skinner, A.L.; Munafò, M.R.
  • Case history of co-morbid Asperger’s syndrome and paraphilic behaviour
    Milton, J.; Duggan, C.; Latham, A.; Egan, V.; Tantam, D.
  • Multiphasic sex inventory
    Nichols, H.R.; Molinder, L.
  • Recidivism among child sexual abusers: initial results of a 13-year longitudinal random sample
    Patrick, S.; Marsh, R.
  • Section six: indecent images of children
  • Viewing child pornography: prevalence and correlates in a representative community sample of young Swedish men
    Seto, M.C.; Hermann, C.A.; Kjellgren, C.; Priebe, G.; Svedin, C.G.; Långström, N.