Profiles of psychopathy in incarcerated sexual offenders

The authors investigated whether psychopathy would contribute to the unders tanding of the heterogeneity of sexual violence. Using the Psychopathy Chec klist-Revised, presence of psychopathy, callous personality (Factor 1), and chronic antisocial conduct (Factor 2) were examined in a diverse sample (N = 329) of incarcerated sex offenders and nonsexual offenders categorized a ccording to the nature of their crimes. Mixed rapist/molesters and rapists were more psychopathic than child molesters, although all sex offender grou ps showed elevated Factor 1 scores. A high proportion (64%) of offenders wh o had victimized both children and adults were psychopathic, indicative of a criminal whose thrill seeking is directed at diverse sexual victims (appr opriately called a sexual psychopath). Furthermore, there were different fa ctor scores and an interaction between factor scores and offense type. Thes e profiles have implications for treatment and a comprehensive theory of se xual violence.