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Committed as a Violent Sexual Predator in His 10th Decade: A Case Study.
1Sand Ridge Secure Treatment Center, Mauston, WI, 53948, USA. ryan.mattek@dhs.wi.gov.
Archives of Sexual Behavior
|August 23, 2017
Summary
This case study examines an atypical offender over 90 years old, highlighting that good health in older adults may be a risk factor for sexual offending. Forensic evaluators should consider health in risk assessments.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Psychology
- Gerontology
- Criminology
Background:
- Sexual offending rates are typically very low among nonagenarians.
- This is attributed to factors such as declining physical and cognitive health associated with advanced age.
Observation:
- A case study of an Atypical Offender (AO), committed civilly as a sexually violent person after age 90.
- AO exhibited characteristics of persistent child sexual offenders, including pedophilic interests and a child-oriented lifestyle.
- Notably, AO maintained exceptional health and vigor well into his tenth decade.
Findings:
- The study identifies AO's sustained good health as an unusual factor that may have negated typical protective elements against sexual offending in advanced age.
- This challenges the assumption that advanced age inherently confers protection against sexual offending.
Implications:
- Forensic evaluators assessing older sexual offenders should systematically incorporate the individual's health status into risk assessments.
- This case underscores the need for nuanced evaluations that consider individual health trajectories, not just chronological age.
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