SOCIAL NETWORKS OF SEXUAL OFFENDERS

Despite the extensive research attention directed toward criminal peer groups, there has been little attention to the peer groups of sexual offenders. Sexual offenders are often considered to be loners who offe nd in isolation, but cases of sex crimes involving peer support are no t difficult to find, e.g., child sex rings, gang rapes. To examine the role of peers in sexual offending, sexual offenders and nonsexual off enders were asked whether they knew other people who have committed se xual crimes. In comparison to the nonoffender community comparison gro up, the sexual offenders reported considerably more association and id entification with sexual offenders. The associations also tended to be offence specific, such that child molesters knew other child molester s and rapists knew other rapists. These findings have important implic ations for the assessment and treatment of sexual offenders.