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Pornography use and sexual aggression: the impact of frequency and type of pornography use on recidivism among sexual offenders
Author(s) -
Kingston Drew A.,
Fedoroff Paul,
Firestone Philip,
Curry Susan,
Bradford John M.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
aggressive behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.223
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 1098-2337
pISSN - 0096-140X
DOI - 10.1002/ab.20250
Subject(s) - recidivism , pornography , psychology , child pornography , sex offense , poison control , aggression , injury prevention , clinical psychology , social psychology , sexual abuse , medicine , medical emergency , the internet , world wide web , computer science , psychoanalysis
In this study, we examined the unique contribution of pornography consumption to the longitudinal prediction of criminal recidivism in a sample of 341 child molesters. We specifically tested the hypothesis, based on predictions informed by the confluence model of sexual aggression that pornography will be a risk factor for recidivism only for those individuals classified as relatively high risk for re‐offending. Pornography use (frequency and type) was assessed through self‐report and recidivism was measured using data from a national database from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Indices of recidivism, which were assessed up to 15 years after release, included an overall criminal recidivism index, as well as subcategories focusing on violent (including sexual) recidivism and sexual recidivism alone. Results for both frequency and type of pornography use were generally consistent with our predictions. Most importantly, after controlling for general and specific risk factors for sexual aggression, pornography added significantly to the prediction of recidivism. Statistical interactions indicated that frequency of pornography use was primarily a risk factor for higher‐risk offenders, when compared with lower‐risk offenders, and that content of pornography (i.e., pornography containing deviant content) was a risk factor for all groups. The importance of conceptualizing particular risk factors (e.g., pornography), within the context of other individual characteristics is discussed. Aggr. Behav. 34:341–351, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.