Vernon L. Quinsey

Written for mental health professionals, this indispensable guide reviews the range of relevant literature covering issues in assessing child molesters. Fully updated, this volume directs the professional to the most current knowledge available on the subject in a compact, accessible form. Readers will learn from this resource which characteristics do and do not distinguish child molesters, which situational factors are related to molestation, which instruments are used in the assessment of child molesters, how assessment information is used to appraise risk and guide treatment, and all of the elements of a useful assessment report. New to This Edition: --The authors have brought the book up to date with the relevant literature through 1999, with special emphasis on new assessment instruments and issues in recidivism --This book also differs from the first edition in that the test for continuing education credits will not be included in the volume; the CE credits will be printed and sold separately, in keeping with the revised APSAC Study Guides agreement.

This book addresses why criminal offenders repeat their actions after being released from prison.

This book addresses how and why criminal offenders repeat their actions after being released from prison. It is part of an attempt to explain criminal behavior within the context of a contemporary psychological understanding of behavior, rather than more traditional theories of crime. Over 300 serious male criminal offenders were interviewed and tested after they returned to prison for new crimes. The results indicate that their new offenses may be the result of something like a 'breakdown'. From this, it can be argued that we could monitor released prisoners to predict or even to prevent their return to crime. This report, written for a general audience, has some important implications for release supervision, rehabilitation programs, and the prediction of recidivism.