The Nature and Scope of Educator Misconduct in K-12.

Educator sexual misconduct is a serious problem in the United States (U.S.), with a 2004 Department of Education report estimating that 9.6% of K-12 students in the U.S. had experienced either verbal, visual, or physical educator misconduct at some point during their school career. However, since that report almost 20 years ago, there have been few large-scale studies examining the extent of the problem. As such, the current study, which uses a large sample from recent high school graduates in four U.S. states, offers updated data on the nature and scope of sexual misconduct in educational settings. Overall, 11.7% of the 6632 participants reported having experienced at least one form of educator sexual misconduct during Grades K-12, with 11% reporting sexual comments and less than 1% reporting other forms of sexual misconduct (e.g., receiving sexual photos/messages, being kissed, touched sexually, or engaging in sexual intercourse/oral sex). Those who reported misconduct showed significantly more difficulties in current psychosocial functioning than those who did not report educator misconduct. Academic teachers most often perpetrated the abuse (63%), followed by coaches and gym teachers (20%). Educators who engaged in sexual misconduct were primarily male (85%), whereas students who reported experiencing educator misconduct were primarily female (72%). Rates of disclosure to authorities were very low (4%) and some sexual grooming behaviors like gift giving (12%) and showing special attention (29%) were reported. These findings will be discussed as they pertain to the prevention of sexual misconduct within educational settings.

Experiences and Perceptions of Online Sexual Solicitation and Grooming of Minors: A Retrospective Report.

Internet predation of minors has become a focus of child sexual abuse research and legislation. Studies reveal that many American youth report experiencing sexual solicitation and sexual grooming online, but the youth perspective of these experiences has not been examined. This study examined retrospective perspectives of online sexual solicitation and grooming experienced as a minor. Participants were 1,133 undergraduate college students at two public institutions in the United States who completed an online survey retrospectively exploring Internet behaviors, experiences of online sexual solicitation or online grooming, and perceptions of the experience. Results showed that one-quarter of total participants conversed with adult strangers online as minors. Importantly, 65% of participants who chatted with adult strangers as minors experienced sexual solicitation from an adult stranger. Twenty-three percent of 1,133 total participants recalled having a long, intimate conversation as a minor with an adult stranger from an online chatroom that followed a pattern of online sexual grooming. While less than half (38%) of the youth who engaged in an intimate online relationship with an adult stranger met the adult in-person, a large majority of those who did meet in-person (68%) reported physical sexual intercourse. Implications for Internet safety and guidelines are discussed.

Changes in Jail Inmates' Community Connectedness across the Period of Incarceration.

Jails bring inmates into proximity with one another and separate them from the community. Because inmates' connectedness to one another and to the community influences post-release functioning, understanding risk factors for maladaptive shifts in connectedness may inform interventions. The current study examined changes in jail inmates' (N=203) connectedness to the community at large and to the criminal community, and predictors of individual differences in changes over time. Connectedness to both communities did not change on average during incarceration, but younger and less guilt-prone inmates increased more in connectedness to the criminal community than older and more guilt-prone inmates, suggesting connectedness interventions should target individuals exhibiting this constellation of attributes.

Organizational Factors and Probation Officer Use of Evidence-Based Practices: A Multilevel Examination.

Growing evidence pointing to the ineffectiveness of control-oriented supervision practices has led to an emphasis on evidence-based practices (EBPs), or practices that are empirically tied to recidivism reduction. Research on EBPs in probation highlights the importance of case management-oriented supervision and provision of proactive, appropriate program referrals. Despite research support, challenges exist regarding implementing EBPs in real-world practice. Utilizing survey data from 813 adult probation officers across 43 agencies, the current study examined variation in use of case management and proactive referral practices. Findings highlight the important role organizational commitment plays in supporting implementation efforts. Implications suggest a need for probation agencies to promote and sustain staff commitment to their agency before embarking on significant reform efforts.

Do Demographic Factors Moderate How Well Criminal Thinking Predicts Recidivism?

Is the relationship between criminal thinking and recidivism the same for criminal justice-involved individuals from varying demographic backgrounds? Relying on two independent samples of offenders and two measures of criminal thinking, the current studies examined whether four demographic factors-gender, race, age, and education-moderated the relationship between criminal thinking and recidivism. Study 1 consisted of 226 drug-involved probationers enrolled in a randomized clinical trial. Study 2 consisted of 346 jail inmates from a longitudinal study. Logistic regression models suggested that the strength of the relationship between criminal thinking and subsequent recidivism did not vary based on participant demographics, regardless of justice system setting or measure of criminal thinking. Criminal thinking predicts recidivism similarly for people who are male, female, Black, White, older, younger, and more or less educated.

The Role of Psychopathic Traits in the Development of the Therapeutic Alliance Among Sexual Offenders.

There is a growing body of research demonstrating that the therapeutic alliance (TA) affects outcomes among specialized forensic populations, including sexual offenders. Despite this consensus, researchers continue to question whether higher levels of psychopathic traits are conducive to the formation of a therapeutic relationship for high-risk sexual offenders. Thus, the current study adds to the literature by examining the relationship between the TA and levels of psychopathy among a sample of incarcerated sexual offenders participating in sexual offender treatment. Overall, we found no significant relationships between Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) scores and the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI) for either client or therapist ratings. However, when we excluded those offenders who were participating in aftercare, a significant negative relationship was found between client ratings of the Bonds subscale and PCL-R total scores. Next, after controlling for risk and group status (aftercare/non-aftercare), we found no significant differences between either client or therapist total WAI scores when compared by level of psychopathy as measured by the PCL-R (low, >20; moderate, 20-30; and high, >30). Furthermore, when Factor 1 and Factor 2 scores of the PCL-R were examined individually, neither factor significantly predicted either client or therapist total WAI score after controlling for risk and group status. Findings are discussed as they pertain to the treatment of sexual offenders with elevated levels of psychopathic traits.

Differences by Gender in Predictors of Motivation Among Substance Abuse Treatment Participants.

BACKGROUND: Substance-involved females tend to have different clinical profiles than men (Adams, Leukefeld, & Peden, 2008 ); yet they do not appear to have worse treatment outcomes (Green, 2006 ; Hser, Huang, Teruya, & Anglin, 2003 ). As motivation for treatment is considered essential in the substance abuse treatment context (Cahill, Adinoff, Hosig, Muller, & Pulliam, 2003 ; Longshore & Teruya, 2006 ), it is possible that higher motivation among females could potentially counteract the negative effect of more risk factors. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the current study was to examine if females differ from males in their motivation for treatment using the Texas Christian University Motivation Form scales: desire for help, problem recognition, treatment readiness, pressure for treatment, and treatment needs; and whether factors predicting motivation for treatment differed between male and female participants of substance abuse treatment. METHODS: The sample included 2,989 substance-involved males and 982 substance-involved females who were referred to substance abuse treatment through a case management program. Linear regression models predicting each motivation scale were analyzed, followed by gender-specific models. RESULTS: Overall, the results did not demonstrate a significant gender difference in the motivation scales. However, among male participants, the findings did show that Hispanic significantly predicted desire for help and alcohol as a primary drug of choice predicted treatment readiness. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that motivation for treatment may be a gender-neutral construct, and that there is a need to better understand sociodemographic predictors of motivation.

Pathways to Desistance Among Men Convicted of Sexual Offenses: Linking Post Hoc Accounts of Offending Behavior and Outcomes.

Within many sexual offender-specific treatment programs, clients and their therapists devote considerable time to understanding "cycles" or "pathways" to sexual offending, and clients often need to fit their stories into existing offending paradigms. Although this post hoc processing of offending behaviors may assist clients in understanding their individual pathway toward crime, we know little about how they situate this information within their lives moving forward. Relying on in-depth interview data, the current study examined accounts of the sexually related crimes that brought 28 men to prison. Analyses suggest varied perspectives among the men regarding pathways to and from their sexual offenses; some aligning with existing models, but others merging around different theoretical frameworks. Implications are discussed as they relate to treatment models and the desistance process for men convicted of sexual offenses.

Changes in Inmates' Substance Use and Dependence From Pre-Incarceration to One Year Post-Release.

PURPOSE: To assess changes in inmates' misuse of substances from pre- to post-incarceration. METHODS: In Study 1, professionals (n = 162) and laypersons (n = 50) predicted how jail inmates' substance misuse would change from pre-incarceration to post-release. In Study 2, a longitudinal study of 305 jail inmates, we examined actual changes in substance use and dependence from pre-incarceration to the first year post-incarceration, as well as whether changes varied as a function of demographic, criminal justice, treatment, and personality factors. RESULTS: Professionals and laypersons predicted little change in substance misuse whereas, in fact, inmates' frequency of substance use and dependence decreased substantially from pre-incarceration to post-release. Sharper decreases were observed for inmates who were female, younger, more educated, serving longer sentences, enrolled in substance abuse treatment, high in shame-proneness, and low in criminogenic thinking. Race, first time incarceration, transfer to other correctional facilities, mandated community supervision (probation), and guilt-proneness did not predict changes in substance use or dependence. CONCLUSIONS: Although substance misuse decreased, this remains a population high in need of substance abuse treatment both upon arrest and at one year post-incarceration; 60% of former inmates met at least one DSM-IV criterion for substance dependence at one year post-release.

Feasibility and Acceptability of an Impact of Crime Group Intervention with Jail Inmates.

The current study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a manualized Impact of Crime (IOC) group intervention implemented with male inmates (N = 108) at a county jail. Facilitator adherence to the intervention and participant attendance, homework completion, and feedback were assessed. On average facilitators covered 93.7% of each manual topic. Victim speaker recruitment was a challenge-43.5% of relevant sessions lacked victim speakers. Findings suggested significant participant engagement-67.3% attended at least 75% of sessions and 93.3% of homework assignments were submitted on time. Overall, participants indicated satisfaction with the intervention. Successful strategies, challenges, and potential enhancements are discussed.

Sexual Offenders' Perceptions of the Client-Therapist Relationship: The Role of Risk.

The therapeutic alliance has been shown to be integral to treatment outcomes even in forensic settings. There is still a relative dearth of research examining factors related to the formation of the therapeutic alliance in sex offender treatment specifically. Using a sample of 202 incarcerated male sexual offenders participating in sex offender treatment, this study examined whether perceptions of the client-therapist relationship from the perspective of male sexual offenders varied by risk for sexual and general recidivism. Overall, we found a significant negative relationship between risk for sexual recidivism and bond formation. However, when therapist subscale scores on the Working Alliance Inventory were considered by therapist gender, higher risk sexual offenders perceived poorer bonds with their female therapists, relative to their male therapists. Findings are discussed as they pertain to therapeutic relationships and responsivity issues in sex offender treatment.

Are actuarial risk data used to make determinations of sex offender risk classification? An examination of sex offenders selected for enhanced registration and notification.

This study examined whether evaluators use actuarial risk scores and risk information to make determinations about sex offender risk status for the purpose of enhanced registration and notification. Although it was expected that sexual offenders selected for enhanced registration and notification would have higher scores on actuarial risk assessment tools than those who were not selected, few differences were found between groups with regard to risk factors associated with sexual offense recidivism. Given that actuarial tools enhance the prediction of sexual recidivism, this study may shed light on problems in the implementation of sex offender policy measures. Results are discussed as they pertain to the assessment and application of registration and community notification statutes for sexual offenders.