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    Maintaining safety : the social support and monitoring of men who have completed therapy for sexual offending : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Social Policy and Social Work at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1998) Matthewson, Peter James
    This study enquired into the social support and monitoring of men who had offended sexually against children, and who had completed therapy at the Kia Marama Special Treatment Unit, Rolleston Prison, Christchurch. The current literature regarding treatment for sexual offending was identified as largely drawn from the discipline of psychology. From that perspective it tends to focus on personal characteristics and behavioural patterns of the individual who offends. Therapeutic processes are described in detail. However, from the perspective of social work, it was observed that inadequate attention has been paid to the social context in which these men live, and must maintain their therapy gains. These men benefit from significant professional intervention: they participate in intensive therapy at Kia Marama, and following their release they receive valuable oversight and support from Probation Officers as they reintegrate back into the community. However, support from more "natural" social systems, which may include families or whanau, friends, neighbours, work colleagues or church groups, is noted in social work literature as being vital in the longer term maintenance of behavioural change. In this study the post-treatment life experience of a group of men, who had completed therapy at Kia Marama, was examined from a social-ecological perspective. Although this perspective accounted for both the men's immediate social situations and the wider policy and cultural contexts, the predominant focus was on the functioning of their immediate social support networks. The ideal role of social support networks is twofold: it is important that the men are able to build close, open and supportive relationships with other adults. However, support network members also have a vital function of being aware of the men's offending patterns, and situations that may present a risk of further offending, and monitoring their behaviour from the basis of this awareness. The study found that social support was highly valued by the men as assisting them to lead safe and non-abusive lifestyles. Information sharing within support networks was identified as vital for ongoing safety. However, there was considerable variation in the levels of information sharing and ongoing contact between the professionals responsible for the men's therapy and parole oversight, and their "natural" support networks. Inadequate sharing of specific offence related information, and lack of ongoing communication, were found to be associated with confusion about risk issues and compromised safety. The findings of this study suggest the need for more consistent processes of ongoing co-ordination and communication within support networks, particularly between formal and informal systems.
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    An evaluation of the effectiveness of an empathy training module for child sex offenders : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts in Psychology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2006) Smith, Tracy Vannessa
    The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an empathy training module for treatment of child sexual offenders incarcerated at a New Zealand Special Treatment Unit. Twenty-eight participants volunteered for the study which involved three time conditions; pre-intervention, post-intervention and three-month follow-up. Three measures were used to assess generalised empathy and victim-specific empathy in this sample. No significant results were found, although preliminary data did suggest that this sample may differ from previous studies on the victim-specific measure. Namely, contrary to previous research the sample demonstrated the greatest empathy deficit for the child accident victim, rather than their own victims. The current study had a number of limitations, including methodological errors that make the generalisation of results unfeasible.
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    Sexual pleasures and dangers : a history of sexual cultures in Wellington, 1900-1920 : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts by thesis only in History at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1998) Gillingham, Mary
    This thesis examines sexual cultures between 1900 and 1920. It is based on court records of trials for 'sex crime' in the Wellington Supreme Court district, which covered the lower north island. Although sex crimes were an extreme manifestation of sexual practice, and court records represent only partial and constructed accounts of it, the sources can provide insight into attitudes toward sexuality in the past. In this thesis, a crime is posited as an 'extraordinary moment', capable of illuminating a variety of cultural beliefs about sexuality. Victims, their families, the accused men, criminal justice authorities and many others expressed views about codes of sexual behaviour in response to sex crimes. Combined, they form a multi-layered and, at times, contested grid of understandings about sexual mores. This thesis is focused on the reconstruction of these codes of sexual behaviour. To do this, a case study method has been employed which traces the construction of sexuality by individuals and within the courts. The possibilities of sexual pleasure and sexual danger - autonomy and victimisation - framed the meaning attached to sexual encounters by the parties involved, and by others. Such understandings were predominantly shaped by the variables of age and gender. Very young children lacked sufficient sexual knowledge to identify a sexual encounter as either sexually pleasurable or dangerous; they labelled it a physical attack. By adolescence, girls and boys were increasingly sexually aware. For them, and for adults, sexual experiences were characterised by the possibility for sexual pleasure or danger, or a mix of the two. This potential for sexuality to be experienced as pleasure shaped observers' understandings of codes of sexual behaviour. Observers often conflated sexual maturity with consent: childhood was predominantly constructed as a time of sexual innocence and adulthood as times of sexual activity and agency. But codes of sexual behaviour were also mediated by gender. Gendered constructions of character shaped self-representations and observers' understandings of sexual mores. While the double standard of sexual morality set the backdrop for the understanding of sexual mores in the wider Wellington area during the early twentieth century, there were considerable variations in levels of acceptance of it. This thesis examines constructions of sexuality in relation to children, adolescents, and adults of both sexes.
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    Factors which influence the decision of sexual offenders against children to attend a sex offender treatment programme at Te Piriti or Kia Marama : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1998) Norrie, Joan
    Treatment of individuals who sexually offend against children has been shown to be associated with reductions in recidivism both in New Zealand, (Johnston, 1996) and overseas (Gendreau, 1996). Laven (1993) and Jury (1993) found in two New Zealand studies of incarcerated child sex offenders that when they were offered treatment to help them address their offending they more often than not declined. Barbaree (1991) noted that offenders often present as denying, minimising, rationalising or being vague about their sexual offending behaviours. Treatment for incarcerated individuals who have sexually offended against children is provided by the New Zealand Department of Corrections Psychological Service specialist prison-based Child Sex Offender Treatment Programme at Auckland (Te Piriti) and Christchurch (Kia Marama). However, participation in the programme is voluntary. The main purpose of the study was to examine the effects of a motivational and educational pretherapy intervention, First Step, on factors such as Stage of Change and Victim Empathy which were believed to be associated with the decision to seek entry to the Sex Offender Treatment Programme. A secondary purpose was to investigate which factors the child sex offenders considered while making their decision to seek or decline treatment in the programme. The subjects were 104 male incarcerated offenders convicted of sexual offences against children under the age of sixteen years. They were resident in one of three minimum security prisons, Tongariro/Rangipo, Ohura and Waikeria, New Zealand. All of the subjects were referred by the prison Case Management Committee to Department of Corrections, Psychological Service for assessment when they arrived in the prison. Of the total of 104 participants, 39 attended First Step. The other 65 were involved in a related study (Knowles, 1997) at Waikeria Prison. They were included to provide additional information on select issues related to helpseeking. Participation was voluntary and access to the First Step programme was not contingent on participation in the study. Also, there were no custodial consequences (e. g., temporary paroles or early release) contingent on participation in the study. The design for the treatment portion of the study was a two by two factorial, repeated measures design with two conditions, a wait-list control and a treatment condition (First Step). An assessment of treatment readiness and victim-specific empathy was made using the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA) questionnaire based on Prochaska, DiClemente et al's (1982, 1985, 1989, 1991, 1995) Transtheoretical Stages of Change model and Marshall et al's (1995) Person Specific Empathy Scale which were administered at pre and post wait-list and treatment conditions. The results of this study provide important data for enhancing our understanding of the effects of a pre therapy intervention on motivation and of the factors that influence the incarcerated child sex offender's decision to seek entry to a Sex Offender Treatment Programme. There was evidence that the motivational and educational intervention, the First Step programme, had an influence on the way that the offenders thought about their offending behaviour. In particular, this was supported by a general pattern of movement through the Stages of Change as illustrated by changes in the numbers of offenders in identified Stages of Change clusters. The support for First Step further buttresses Barbaree (1991) and O'Donohue and LeTourneau (1993) proposals for the necessity, particularly in cases where the problem is denied, for a pre-treatment intervention designed to encourage a frame of mind that is more amenable to treatment entry and compliance. Some positive treatment produced changes were also noted on the empathy scale. Apart from a motivational intervention, other factors identified by the sample as being influential in the treatment-seeking decision-making process included both internal (e. g., desire for self improvement, acceptance of responsibility for the offending, denial of offending, fear and shame) and external (e. g., awareness of treatment procedures at the Sex Offender Treatment Programme, family support and custody conditions) factors. The discussion focuses on future use of pretherapy, motivational interventions and the integration of such factors.
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    Towards a typology of youth sexual harmers in Aotearoa, New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2010) Dillon, Stephanie Kim
    Sixty seven characteristics, and demographic and offence data were used to explore patterns of similarity amongst a sample of 195 male youths aged 6-17 years who had been referred for treatment because of their sexually harmful behaviour. The overarching aim of the study was to investigate the possibility of developing a typology of youth sexual harmers in order to enhance assessment and treatment. Archival data were collected from three specialist treatment agencies providing services to nine locations across New Zealand. The characteristics were chosen to highlight a broad range of functioning and incorporated personality traits, social and family factors, education and developmental factors, mental health issues and antisocial behaviour as well as sexual behaviour and prior victimisation. Hierarchical cluster analysis was employed to determine whether certain characteristics and youth were similar and whether these similarities indicated clinically relevant profiles of youth were present within the sample. A review of the analysis suggested seven themes of characteristics were present: Sexual Deviancy and Delinquency, Trauma and Neglect, Sexual Abuse and Family Mental Health, Mood Disregulation, Personality and Social Deficits, Developmental Deficits, and Family Aggression and Abuse. A review of the analysis of the youth indicated four profiles of sexually harmful youth in this sample: Depressed Relationship Seeking, Trauma Reactive, Hostile/Versatile, and Controlling/Entitled. Demographic and offence data for each profile indicated within profile similarity, also. The analyses enabled a review of the inter-relationship of multiple characteristics and highlighted the way in which certain characteristics and life experiences can influence behaviour and learning. The results imply an inclusive typology of young sexual harmers is possible and this has implications for the assessment and treatment of these youth. Assessments that can define profiles may enhance treatment planning and delivery.