8. Lannings Typologies of Sex Offenders Flashcards
Summary of Lanning’s Typologies
LANNING broadly describes two typologies of sex offender - desrcibed for LE rather than medical diagnosis:
SITUATIONAL and PREFERENTIAL. However these are described as a continum rather than a choice between two categories, i.e offenders can demonstrate both situational and preferential behavioural patterns and motivations, but one is likely to be dominant.
Offenders are placed along the continum based on the totality of known facts.
Key characteristics of SITUATIONAL child sex offenders.
Most likely to fit these characteristics:
- Less intelligent
- Lower socioeconomic status
- may exhibit personality disorders such as antisicial psychopathy / narcisstic / schizoid
- varied criminal history behaviour
- enjoys violent / demeaning porn
- impulsive
- cosiders risk
- thought driven
- sloppy mistakes
- planned or spontaneous offening but based on availability, opportunity, tools, learning.
- Patterns of behaviour are based on MO (not rituals).
Their criminal behaviour tends to be driven by basic needs (horniness or power or anger). Perception than they are entitledd to sex.
Criminal behaviour is used to obtain and control their victims, language is limited and verbal skills lower. They are more likely to use practical tools (like weapons, gloves, masks, pick locks) and patterns of behaviour are based on the concept of an MO (which is a repeated pattern of behaviour used because it works, and will help him get away with the crime - fuelled by thought and deliberation - likely to change and imrpove over time).
Situational sex offenders do not have a true sexual preference for children - they offend against children for situational reasons - because they are there, because they can etc.
Likely to offend against children they have easy access to - their own or those living with them. Pubescent children are at risk. Younger children may be targeted because they are weak, vulnerable or available.
May select children because they have the opportunity to and think they can get away with it, or out of curiosity / insecurity or low self esteem.
Key characteristics of PREFERENTIAL sex offenders
Most likely to fit these characteristics:
- More intelligent
- higher socioecomonic status
- likely to have paraphilias such as pedophilla,vouyerism, sadism
- focused criminal behaviour
- theme pornography
- compulsive
- considers need
- needy mistakes
- fantasy driven
- scripted (may audition / reherse / rehersal / props / critque)
- ritualistic rather than using an MO.
- likely to have high number of victims
Their behaviour is likely to be fantasy based, persistant and in the service of deviant sexual needs. Likely to use scripts and have victim preferences. More likely to groom and less likely to use violent (unless sadistic). May use props. Their pornography collection is likely to be themed based on their fetishes.
Describe the 4 categories of SITUATIONAL Sex Offenders
REGRESSED - low self esteem & poor coping skills. Turns to children as a sexual substitute for their prefered peer sexual partner. Main victim criteria is availability. Often offend against own children. Most likely to colect homemade CSAM
MORALLY INDESCRIMINATE - sexual victimisation of children is just part of their general pattern of abusive begaviour. Lies, cheats, steals and is a user and abuser of people. Offenders for simple reason of ‘why not’? If he has the urge and a child is there he will act. Typically uses force or manipulation to lure children, may abduct. Usually stranger of aquaintence victims but may offend against own children and use violence. High risk of abusing pubescent children.
SEXUALLY INDESCRIMINATE * no longer included - now diverse but moved to preferential. Why?
INADEQUATE - includes offenders who have personality disorders, mental retardation, eccentric personality - social misfit - withdrawn, loner. Offends against children because of insecurity or curiosity - children are non threatening objects. Could be selected as a substitute for a specific adult person. Result is often as built up impulses - finding it difficult to express anger and hostility - build until it explodes possibly against child. Most likely to kill because they have sex impulsives then kill to get away with it or shame. No good at grooming. Might collect porn but likely to be adult or just anything.
Describe the 4 categories of PREFERENTIAL Sex Offenders
SEDUCTION - ‘seduces’ children by grooming with attention, gifts. Victim chosen with aim in mind, will work hard on the groom which may take a long time. Uses this to lower the child’s sexual inhibitions and because ‘willing’ to trade sex for the attention / gifts. May chose child on specific vulnerability. Knows how to relate to children and listen to them. Has to get rid of child when they become too old - may use threats or threats of violence only to prevent disclosure at end not to offend. Spends life putting himself with access to children.
INTROVERTED - low interpersonal skills, poor socially, lower numbers of victims, likely to watch children / flash or make obsecene calls, travel to buy children for sex, or use internet to communicate. May even marry a women to get him access to a child.
SADISTIC - need to exert pain or suffereing, often go for pre-speech children, uses force to lure, most likely to abduct and murder because it is difficult to prevent disclosure.
DIVERSE - try anything. Preferential in that they like ‘anything’. Used to be the sexually indiscriminate. No strong preference for children. Usually targets children out of curiosity or experimentation. May share child and communicate with women to encourage them to have sex with their child
