U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Sexual Offenders With Intellectual Disabilities: An Exploratory Comparison Study in an Incarcerated US Sample

NCJ Number
307168
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 22 Dated: 2022
Author(s)
Perry A. Callahan; Elizabeth L. Jeglic; Cynthia Calkins
Date Published
2022
Length
22 pages
Annotation

This study sought to identify relevant characteristics of this population by comparing individuals with and without intellectual disabilities (ID) incarcerated in the U.S. for sexual offenses.

Abstract

This study, which sought to identify relevant characteristics of this population by comparing individuals with and without intellectual disabilities (ID) incarcerated in the U.S. for sexual offenses, found that participants with ID, including those with borderline ID, comprised 19.1% of the sample and displayed elevated rates of adverse childhood experiences and psychopathology. Contrary to previous research, participants with ID were no more likely to offend against children than those without ID. These findings help to elucidate the etiology of offending behavior among those with ID and inform on potential targets for intervention. Research indicates that individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) are overrepresented among sexual offenders, and that those with ID might differ from those without ID in terms of the etiology of offending behavior. Despite this, few studies have explored ID using incarcerated U.S. samples. Archival records for 3,066 participants were used to determine demographic, historical, and offense-related characteristics.