Title: CSOM Publications
Headings: Introduction

Content: While some sex offenders may display behavior and characteristics that are similar to other types of criminal offenders (e.g., a lack of education; unstable employment and residence; drug and alcohol problems that interfere with daily life; frequent altercations with families, friends, and strangers; and an overall resistance to authority figures), the majority of them do not have extensive criminal histories or "traditional" criminal lifestyles. A study of sex offenders conducted in 1994 in the state of Oregon found that the "typical" sex offender is male, a high school graduate, and more likely than other criminal offenders to be employed. In addition, the majority of sex offenders have probably not been under correctional supervision previously and most have an established social support group in the community. The Oregon study also confirmed that unlike other offenders who tend to "age out" of their criminal behavior as they grow older, many sex offenders continue to abuse throughout their lifetimes. Finally, the study revealed that sex offenders frequently score in the low range on traditional correctional risk assessment instruments, as these instruments do not address many of the areas that are indicators of risk for sex offenders. 3
A Shift in Perspective: