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Preliminary insights and analysis into weapon enabled sexual offenders

Paul Dawson (PhD Candidate, based at Centre for Forensic and Criminological Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK)
Alasdair M. Goodwill (PhD Supervisor based at School of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Louise Dixon (PhD Supervisor, based at Centre for Forensic and Criminological Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK)

Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research

ISSN: 1759-6599

Article publication date: 8 July 2014

175

Abstract

Purpose

Weapon use is recognised as a key crime concern in England and Wales but has received relatively little focused research. The purpose of this paper is to examine weapon use by sexual offenders to develop new insights relevant for a police audience. Specifically, to examine the prevalence of weapons within sexual offenders and explore the differences between weapon and non-weapon enabled offenders on a range of characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 1,618 single, stranger, solved, serious sexual assaults were provided by the Serious Crime Analysis Section of the Serious Organised Crime Agency. In all, 20 per cent of offenders were weapon enabled.

Findings

There were almost no demographic differences between weapon enabled and non-weapon enabled offenders. In terms of the offence itself, there were many significant differences between the groups in terms of precautions used, victim involvement, injury, attack behaviours, victim approach and attack location. Further multivariate analysis revealed aspects of the offence that were associated with weapon use; these are broadly discussed within themes of violence and evidence of planning.

Originality/value

The authors argue that an examination of weapon use is valuable in illustrating how offenders differ in their offence and provide insights for the investigation of such crime.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr Jess Woodhams for their valuable contribution to the current paper.

Citation

Dawson, P., M. Goodwill, A. and Dixon, L. (2014), "Preliminary insights and analysis into weapon enabled sexual offenders", Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, Vol. 6 No. 3, pp. 174-184. https://doi.org/10.1108/JACPR-10-2013-0029

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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