Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T22:30:02.407Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

What are the characteristics of first time older sexual offenders?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 November 2017

Joanne Chua ,
Gary Cheung ,
Susan Hatters Friedman  and
Sigourney Taylor
Joanne Chua*
Affiliation:
Kauri Unit, Mason Clinic, Regional Forensic Psychiatry Services, Auckland, New Zealand
Gary Cheung
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Susan Hatters Friedman
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Sigourney Taylor
Affiliation:
Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr Joanne Chua, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, Kauri unit, Mason Clinic, Regional Forensic Psychiatry Services, Private Bag 19986, Avondale, Auckland 1746, New Zealand. Phone: +64212661694; Fax: +6498155153. Email: Joanne.Chua@waitematadhb.govt.nz.
Get access

Abstract

Background:

Our objective was to examine and describe the common socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of first time older sex offenders.

Methods:

Research papers published in MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and EMBASE were searched systematically. Following removal of duplicates and irrelevant papers, a total of 423 papers were reviewed to determine whether the selection criteria were met. A total of seven publications were included and evaluated by two researchers.

Results:

Of the seven publications, there were two retrospective research studies and five case reports. There was a higher proportion of neurocognitive disorder in this offender group and the victims were usually vulnerable individuals. Yet, cognitive assessments were rarely done or reported. Two subtypes of older sex offenders were identified: (i) offenders who had offended in the past but were not previously detected; (ii) first-time offenders with a high proportion of neurocognitive disorder.

Conclusion:

There is a paucity of research in first time sex offending by older people. This review has highlighted a need for better designed studies to explore the characteristics of older sex offenders. Better collaboration between forensic and old-age psychiatric services is required for improved assessment and management of older sex offenders.

Keywords

agingcognitive disordersforensicsexviolence
Type
Review Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 30 , Issue 5: Issue Theme: Brain Imaging , May 2018 , pp. 647 - 662
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abu-Zidan, F. M., Abbas, A. K. and Hefny, A. I. (2012). Clinical “case series”: a concept analysis. African Health Sciences, 12, 557–562.Google Scholar
Alagiakrishnan, K. et al. (2005). Sexually inappropriate behaviour in demented elderly people. Postgraduate Medical Journal, 81, 463–466.Google Scholar
Baillargeon, J., Black, S. A., Pulvino, J. and Dunn, K. (2000). The disease profile of Texas prison inmates. Annals of Epidemiology, 10, 74–80.Google Scholar
Barak, Y., Perry, T. and Elizur, A. (1995). Elderly criminals: a study of the first criminal offence in old age. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 10, 511–516.Google Scholar
Burns, A. et al. (1999). Health of the nation outcome scales for elderly people (HoNOS 65+). The British Journal of Psychiatry, 174, 424–427.Google Scholar
Carabellese, F., Candelli, C., Vinci, F., Tamma, M. and Catanesi, R. (2012). Elderly sexual offenders: two unusual cases. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 57, 1381–1383.Google Scholar
Clark, C. and Mezey, G. (1997). Elderly sex offenders against children: a descriptive study of child sex abusers over the age of 65. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry, 8, 357–369.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Colsher, P. L., Wallace, R. B., Loeffelholz, P. L. and Sales, M. (1992). Health status of older male prisoners: a comprehensive survey. American Journal of Public Health, 82, 881–884.Google Scholar
Curtice, M., Parker, J., Schembri Wismayer, F. and Tomison, A. (2003). The elderly offender: an 11-year survey of referrals to a regional forensic psychiatric service. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 14, 253–265.Google Scholar
Dawes, J. (2009). Ageing prisoners: issues for social work. Australian Social Work, 62, 258–271.Google Scholar
Farragher, B. and O'Connor, A. (1995). Forensic psychiatry and elderly people-a retrospective review. Medicine, Science and the Law, 35, 269–273.Google Scholar
Fazel, S. and Grann, M. (2002). Older criminals: a descriptive study of psychiatrically examined offenders in Sweden. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 17, 907–913.Google Scholar
Fazel, S. and Jacoby, R. (2002). Psychiatric aspects of crime and the elderly. In Jacoby, R. and Oppenheimer, C. (eds.), Psychiatry in the Elderly (3rd edn, pp. 919–931). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Fazel, S., Hope, T., O'donnell, I. and Jacoby, R. (2001a). Hidden psychiatric morbidity in elderly prisoners. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 2001, 179, 535–539.Google Scholar
Fazel, S., Hope, T., O'Donnell, I., Piper, M. and Jacoby, R. (2001b). Health of elderly male prisoners: worse than the general population, worse than younger prisoners. Age and Ageing, 30, 403–407.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frierson, R. L., Shea, S. J. and Shea, M. E. C. (2002). Competence-to-stand-trial evaluations of geriatric defendants. Journal-American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 30, 252–256.Google Scholar
Lewis, C. F., Fields, C. and Rainey, E. (2006). A study of geriatric forensic evaluees: who are the violent elderly. Journal-American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 34, 324–332.Google Scholar
Maschi, T., Kwak, J., Ko, E. and Morrissey, M. B. (2012). Forget me not: dementia in prison. The Gerontologist, 52, 441–451.Google Scholar
McAleer, A. and Wrigley, M. (1998). A study of sex offending in elderly people referred to a specialised psychiatry of old age service. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, 15, 135–138.Google Scholar
Moll, A. (2013). Losing Track of Time. London: Mental Health Foundation.Google Scholar
Nielssen, O. and Large, M. M. (2012). Homicide in psychiatric hospitals in Australia and New Zealand. Psychiatric Services, 2012, 63, 500–503.Google Scholar
Nóbrega Pinto, A., Rodrigues, F., Dinis-Oliveira, R. J. and Magalhães, T. (2014). Sexual offenses against elderly people: forensic evaluation and judicial outcome. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 26, 189–204.Google Scholar
Onishi, N. (2007). Elderly inmates find amenities in Japan's prison. International Herald Tribune, 2.Google Scholar
Prince, M., Comas-Herrera, A., Knapp, M., Guerchet, M. and Karagiannidou, M. (2016). World Alzheimer Report 2016: Improving Healthcare for People Living With Dementia: Coverage, Quality and Costs Now and in the Future.Google Scholar
Rosen, T., Lachs, M. S. and Pillemer, K. (2010). Sexual aggression between residents in nursing homes: literature synthesis of an underrecognized problem. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 58, 1970–1979.Google Scholar
Series, H. and Dégano, P. (2005). Hypersexuality in dementia. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 11, 424–431.Google Scholar
State of Florida Correctional Medical Authority (2005). Report on Elderly and Aging Inmates in the Florida Department of Corrections. Tallahassee, FL: Correctional Medical Authority.Google Scholar
Statistics New Zealand (2013). Census. Available at: http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2013-census/profile-and-summary-reports/quickstats-65-plus/population-overview.aspxGoogle Scholar
Stojkovic, S. (2007). Elderly prisoners: a growing and forgotten group within correctional systems vulnerable to elder abuse. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 19, 97–117.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Thivierge-Rikard, R. V. and Thompson, M. S. (2007). The association between aging inmate housing management models and non-geriatric health services in state correctional institutions. Journal of Aging & Social Policy, 19, 39–56.Google Scholar
Tomar, R., Treasaden, I. H. and Shah, A. K. (2005). Is there a case for a specialist forensic psychiatry service for the elderly?. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20, 51–56.Google Scholar
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs/Population Division (2009). World Population Prospects: The 2008 Revision. Available at: http://esa.un.org/unpp (gelesen am 16).Google Scholar
Warner, J. (2014). Wither old age psychiatry?. International Psychogeriatrics, 2014, 26, 1055.Google Scholar
Wilson, J. and Barboza, S. (2010). The looming challenge of dementia in prisons. Correct Care, 24, 10– 13.Google Scholar
Yorston, G. (1999). Aged and dangerous. Old-age forensic psychiatry. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 174, 193–195.Google Scholar