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Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-cad-10.1177_00111287231151593 for Unraveling the Sexual Victimization of Sex Workers: A Latent Class Analysis Through the Lens of Environmental Criminology by April Miin Miin Chai, Julien Chopin, Lorena Molnar and Eric Beauregard in Crime & Delinquency

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-jiv-10.1177_08862605221127199 for Developmental Sequela for Sexual Homicide: Testing an Integrated Multi-Theoretical Model by Julien Chopin, Matt DeLisi and Eric Beauregard in Journal of Interpersonal Violence

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-jiv-10.1177_08862605221127199 for Developmental Sequela for Sexual Homicide: Testing an Integrated Multi-Theoretical Model by Julien Chopin, Matt DeLisi and Eric Beauregard in Journal of Interpersonal Violence

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When it comes to solving a sexual homicide, criminal investigators are faced with a difficult but important task. In most cases, suspect identification is challenging because these crimes are mostly perpetrated by unknown offenders with no relationship with the victims. Moreover, sexual homicides may be characterized by unusual and seemingly irrational behaviors, which render the understanding of the crime scene and its reconstruction more complex for investigators. Finally, as these crimes are relatively rare, investigators may not have developed the experience and expertise needed to manage these cases. This chapter aims to present knowledge on the crime-commission process of sexual homicide offenders to improve investigative practices. The chapter begins by reviewing different ways to operationalize sexual homicide. Then, it presents the main findings about the investigative typologies of sexual homicide as well as the crime-commission process used to successfully complete these crimes. This chapter also reviews recent findings on the sexual murderers’ spatial behaviors, victims’ body disposal patterns, as well as their relationship with forensic evidence and avoidance detection strategies. The chapter concludes by discussing the main implications of these findings for police practices.

Partly due to the brutality of the acts involved (e.g., mutilation of genitalia, dismemberment, foreign object insertion) as well as the apparent randomness of victim selection, sexual homicide is a crime that has always attracted attention from scholars, clinicians, and the police. When looking specifically at the empirical research on this type of crime, we can identify three distinct periods. The first period can be traced back to the early work of Krafft-Ebing. This period was mainly characterized by descriptive or case studies from clinical observations. Although interesting and informative, it was difficult – even impossible – to generalize the findings. The second period saw the proliferation of quantitative studies based on small samples. The pioneer study from the FBI marks the beginning of this period which saw the publication of several typologies as well as comparative studies between sexual homicide offenders (SHOs) and nonhomicidal sex offenders (NHSOs). Research from this period allowed to empirically test some of the ideas suggested in older clinical studies, as well as to build a knowledge base on sexual homicide, something that criminology had been reluctant to do (DeLisi & Wright, 2014). However, these studies were based on relatively small samples that were not representative. Recently, we have entered a third period characterized by empirical research based on large and representative samples. From studies based on 36 SHOs, some of the latest research was undertaken based on samples from 350 to almost 800 cases. Beyond the actual number of cases, these studies have allowed to question some of the findings that emerged from the second period. Furthermore, we have observed a desire from researchers in this field to collaborate between them. Such collaboration has culminated in the publication of the Routledge International Handbook of Sexual Homicide Studies (Proulx, Beauregard, Carter, Mokros, Darjee, & James, 2018) as well as the creation of the Sexual Homicide International Database (SHIelD; Chopin & Beauregard, 2019). Considering the evolution of sexual homicide research over the years, it felt necessary to update what is known on the SHO and his offense. We have identified different areas where significant developments were made, more specifically on the following issues: SHO as a unique type of sex offender; Heterogeneity of sexual homicide; Vulnerable victims in sexual homicide; Sadism and psychopathy and how they relate to sexual homicide, and; International comparisons on sexual homicide. Unfortunately, it was not possible to address all the interesting research that has been produced over the past few years. However, we have targeted some of the most important issues related to the SHO and his crime.

Purpose: Despite the importance of understanding factors related to solving sexual crimes, there have been very few studies conducted on the topic. Further, these studies tend to focus on homicides exclusively and often neglect the fact that offenders may adopt certain behaviors that increase their chances of avoiding detection (i.e., investigative awareness). Methods: The current study seeks to explore the role of the offender’s behavior (i.e., selection of certain victim characteristics, crime characteristics, and investigative awareness strategies) on case outcomes (i.e., solved vs. unsolved) in a large sample of rapes (n =4354) occurring in France between 1979 and 2018. Results: Findings from logistic regression analyses indicated that certain victim (e.g., victim was jogging or walking) and crime (e.g., outdoor location) characteristics, as well as investigative awareness strategies (e.g., giving a false identity) were significantly associated with unsolved cases. Conclusions: Interestingly, forensic evidence had only a minor impact on case status, whereas the familiarity of the crime location and victim interactions with the offender appeared to be most important. Theoretical implications and utility for police investigations are discussed.

Criminal investigations typically oppose two main actors: the offender – taking precautions to avoid leaving evidence – and criminal investigators, who must act in light of the evidence at their disposal. Although successfully engaging in criminality does not require special skills, as evidenced by the lack of premeditation involved in most crimes, this apparent absence in decision making is not an indication of lack of skills and planning, but rather, it demonstrates that some offenders have developed in-depth knowledge and skills to assess various situations and opportunities – also known as criminal expertise. The notion of expertise in crime is directly linked to rational choice theory, as offenders develop skills to assess and respond to crime opportunities through practice. While assessing the risks and rewards associated with committing the crime, offenders will make a decision to act a certain way in order to improve the rewards while reducing the risks of getting caught. This chapter argues that similar to general offenders, sex offenders have developed a criminal expertise aimed at avoiding police detection. After discussing the concept of criminal expertise in general, the chapter examines this notion for sex offenders specifically. Moreover, the chapter reviews important notions related to offenders’ decision-making during the crime-commission process and how these may impact the ability of avoiding police detection. Finally, the chapter reviews how the investigation of sexual crimes may be partly influenced by criminal expertise.&nbsp

Crime analysis is of upcoming importance for both theory and practice in criminology. The study of offenders’ spatial behavior is an integral part of a more comprehensive understanding of the convergence in physical space between the offenders and their victims (Bernasco, 2014). The journey to crime has been defined as ‘the distances traveled by offenders from their home to crime locations’ (Beauregard & Busina, 2013, p. 2053), and Bernasco (2014) noted that ‘A crime journey thus contain[s] the complete whereabouts of the individual between leaving home and returning, provided a crime was committed during the journey’ (p. 2). Based on these definitions, criminologists mostly studied the offender’s mobility patterns (i.e., the analysis of the spatial patterns from offenders’ residences to crime locations) neglecting to consider the victim’s spatial behavior. The mobility triangles analysis is an approach that allows for a more comprehensive analysis of the journey to crime. This approach integrates a third address to combine with the offender’s residence and the crime location. In the first studies using this approach, this third address corresponded to offenders’ partner residences (Burgess, 1925) or co-offenders’ living spaces (Lind, 1930). However, since Normandeau’s seminal work (1968) this third apex corresponds to the victim’s residence in order to investigate the spatial proximity of the offender’s residence, the victim’s residence, and the crime location. The combination of these geographical points forms a triangle pattern which varies according to the three distances that compose it: the distance between the victim’s and offender’s residences (V-O), the distance between the victim’s residence and the crime location (V-P), and the distance between the offender’s residence and the crime location (O-P). In this chapter we present the fundamentals of the crime mobility triangles approach, focusing on geometric and geographic patterns of crime. Second, we provide an overview of the main published studies in the field. Third, we provide an example using a step-by-step procedure with elderly sexual abuse cases perpetrated by stranger rapists. Fourth, we discuss the main limitations of this approach. The final section deals with the next step to the mobility triangles analysis: the association of covariates to improve our understanding of offenders’ spatial behaviors.

In criminology, the rational choice perspective assumes that offenders decide whether or not to commit a crime by weighing the effort, rewards, and costs involved in alternative courses of action. One of the most important costs for offenders is to be identified and arrested by police. In order to avoid arrest, offenders have to rely on specific strategies. In sexual assaults, in addition to appropriate target selection, offenders must make sure to avoid police detection by protecting their identity and cleaning up or destroy forensic evidence that may be left at the crime scene and that can directly lead to their identification. This behavior is known as ‘forensic awareness’. Research on forensic awareness strategies during the crime-commission process is scant. A number of studies looking specifically at sexual crimes identified certain strategies related to forensic awareness. According to the rational choice perspective, the use of strategies to avoid police detection should have an impact on the crime solving by police. Few studies have investigated this issue and findings are quite unexpected. The aim of this chapter is to review some of the most important empirical knowledge on the use of forensic awareness strategies in sexual crimes.

Sexual offending represents one of the most difficult crimes to investigate by the police due in part to the various complexities involved. For instance, contrary to most forms of crime, the sole presence of forensic evidence (e.g., DNA) is often not enough to charge and convict a suspect. In many cases, the notion of consent will need to be debated, which more often than not, comes down to the word of the victim against the offender’s. Therefore, it becomes of the utmost importance to develop various techniques that can be used by the police in their effort to find the truth and charge the right suspect. Although the field of research on sexual violence has traditionally focused its efforts on improving our understanding of the various risk factors related to this form of offending as well as how to best treat and manage these offenders, some researchers have conducted innovative research applied specifically to the investigation of sexual crimes. The aim of this chapter is to review some of the most important findings on sexual offending that can be applied to the police criminal investigation. More specifically, the chapter will start by reviewing some of the misconceptions about “sex offenders” that may mislead an investigation. Then, we will discuss the various studies on suspect prioritization and crime linkage analysis, presenting the best practices. The chapter will also cover the investigative interviewing specific to sexual crimes, focusing on the witnesses, the victims, and the suspects. Moreover, related to interviewing, the chapter will review and discuss the indicators of false rape allegations as well as false confessions. The chapter will review some of the proactive strategies used in sexually-related online crimes and will end with a review of how risk assessment

This study aims to explore the presence of overkill in sexual homicide. More specifically, the study examines whether overkill is a valid indicator of an organized or disorganized sexual homicide. Moreover, the study tests the presence of various patterns of sexual homicide involving overkill. The sample used in this study consists of 662 cases of extrafamilial SHs with (n = 145) and without (n = 517) evidence of overkill respectively. Findings from bivariate and logistic regression analyses show that the presence of overkill may be associated with both organized and disorganized sexual homicides. Moreover, latent class analysis suggests that there are three distinct patterns of overkill in sexual homicide: Impulsive, sadistic, and personal.

Sexual assaults against children are considered as one of the most serious types of aggression. Despite significant human and monetary resources being made available to crime investigators, some of these crimes still remain unsolved. The non-discretionary perspective suggests that offenders may adopt certain behaviors that increase their chances of avoiding detection. This study aims to explore the role of the offender’s choices and behavior (i.e., selection of certain victim characteristics, crime location parameters, crime characteristics, and forensic awareness strategies) on crime solving (i.e., solved vs. unsolved). This research is based on a sample of 309 rape cases (200 solved and 109 unsolved) involving child victims occurring in France between 1982 and 2015. The sample was restricted to victims aged less than 16 years old, and who did not know their perpetrator at the time of the offense. Bivariate and multivariate analyses indicate that selection of certain victim characteristics (e.g., unsupervised victims), crime location parameters (e.g., encounter, crime, and victim release took place at the same location), and offender behavior (e.g., diversity of sexual acts; strategy of approach) impacted crime solving. This study also shows that most child abusers do not use forensic awareness strategies to avoid police detection. This study presents both theoretical and practical implications in terms of criminal behavior understanding and criminal investigation.

The concept of expertise applied to the criminal context assumes that offenders are driven by the abilities to both maximize the payoffs and minimize the risks associated with the crime-commission. This study tested the articulation between these two types of decisions taken by stranger rapists to successfully commit their crime. Specifically, this study aims to identify whether offenders whose modus operandi is indicative of criminal expertise are more likely to use forensic awareness strategies. Multivariate analyses conducted on 1551 cases showed that stranger rapists who adopted behaviors indicative of expertise were more likely to use forensic awareness strategies to decrease the risk of police detection. Mixed associations were found between the number of forensic awareness strategies and their nature (i.e. protecting identity vs. destroying evidence) and rapists’ expertise, thus leading to a four-type theoretical classification of expertise: Novice, Bold, Opportunistic, and Expert stranger rapists. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Background Research on sexual homicide of child victims is scarce. Studies focusing on the lethal outcome in sexual crimes involving adult victims suggest that those offenders who end up killing their victims present both specific individual and crimecommission process characteristics. Nevertheless, recent studies indicate that findings with adult victims may not adequately explain the lethal outcome in sexual crimes of children. Objective The purpose of this study is to identify specific combination of offenders, victims and crime-commission process factors associated with a lethal outcome in child sexual abuse. Participants: This study compares and analyzes the characteristics of 646 cases of extrafamilial child abuses with 136 cases of sexual homicide involving children. Methods Bivariate analyses and sequential binomial regression analyses were conducted to identify variables associated with crime outcome. Finally, conjunctive analyses were used to identify combinations of factors that are the most likely associated with the lethal outcome. Results: Results indicate that both offenders and crime-commission process characteristics are strongly associated with sexual homicides of children. Conclusions Offenders who sexually murder children are extremely instrumental and opportunistic. They are also more likely to have a life history characterized by the manifestation of diverse antisocial conducts. The findings of this study provide important theoretical and practical implications for crime investigations, prevention, and offenders' management.

Background: For several years, studies have produced general scripts of child sexual abuse. These scripts provided an analysis of each individual step of the crime-commission process, neglecting the connection between each of these steps. Objective: The purpose of this study is to use the crime script analysis to explore child sexual abuse as a whole, while considering the interconnectedness between each step involved in the crime-commission process of these offenders. Participants: This study analyzes the characteristics of 2264 cases of extrafamilial child abuses recorded by the French police between 1983 and 2018. Methods: The first step of this research uses latent class analysis to explore the relationship between each step of the crime-commission process. This statistical procedure allows for the identification of patterns in a set of data that share behavioral characteristics. In the second step, we used additional variables to test the external validity of our model. Results: Results suggest that there are four different scripts used by child sexual assault offenders related to criminal opportunities, crime preparation, and the crime commission process. Three scripts involved stranger offenders while only one involved acquaintance abusers. Conclusions: The analysis of different scripts shows that the relationship between offenders and victims, as well as the victim's profile in terms of opportunities (i.e., age and routine activities) influenced the decision-making process of child sexual abuse offenders. This new perspective in the crime script analysis of child sexual abuse allows for more tailored prevention measures.

This article—based on a national data set (N = 173)—focuses on extrafamilial sexual homicides and their spatial mobility. The study combines the location of the crime scene and the offenders and victims’ residences in mobility crime triangles. The findings reveal that most of the homicides fall within the categories of offender mobility and total mobility. Our results show the validity of the distance decay function, with over 70% of homicides occurring within 10 km of the offender’s residence. It appears that under certain circumstances, sexual murderers perceive their surroundings as a safe place to commit a homicide. Finally, the study proposes a four-category spatial typology of sexual homicide.

This study investigates the role of criminal dismemberment in sexual homicide crime-commission process. Specifically, this research aims to empirically determine whether criminal dismemberment is a rational behavior aimed at avoiding detection or an expression of sexual deviance. The sample used in this study comes from the Sexual Homicide International Database (SHIelD). Bivariate and multivariate analyses are performed to examine the differences between the crime commission process of sexual murderers who dismembered their victims (n = 77) and those who did not (n = 585). Findings indicate that criminal dismemberment occurred more often as part of a sexual deviance. Specifically, this behavior is strongly associated with the intention to kill the victim, necrophilia, mutilation of genitals, and commission of extreme acts committed on/with victims’ bodies. Moreover, findings showed that these offenders are more likely to follow an organized modus operandi. Theoretical and practical implications in terms of criminal investigations are discussed.

Purpose: Rational choice approach assumes that offenders make decisions to gain more than what it costs to commit the crime. However, studies have shown that not all offenders take actions at the crime scene in order to get rid of forensic evidence. This study focuses on the sexual murderers and aimed to determine which factors influence their decision to use or not forensic awareness strategies to avoid police detection. Methods: The current study seeks to determine the role of criminal expertise, situational factors and crime characteristics on the use of forensic awareness strategies by sexual murderers using a sample of 662 cases of sexual murders from the Sexual Homicide International Database (SHIelD) occurring in France and Canada. Results: Findings from descriptive analysis showed that most SHOs are forensically aware. Results from sequential binomial regression analyses indicated that criminal expertise and crime characteristics were the most important factors to explain the decision taken by sexual murderers to use or not strategies to avoid police detection. Conclusions: The use forensic awareness strategies by SHOs are not influenced by situational characteristics of the crime but instead relies on the offender’s experience, expertise, and the type of acts they committed. Theoretical implications and utility for police investigations are discussed.

Purpose: Rational choice approach assumes that offenders make decisions to gain more than what it costs to commit the crime. However, studies have shown that not all offenders take actions at the crime scene in order to get rid of forensic evidence. This study focuses on the sexual murderers and aimed to determine which factors influence their decision to use or not forensic awareness strategies to avoid police detection. Methods: The current study seeks to determine the role of criminal expertise, situational factors and crime characteristics on the use of forensic awareness strategies by sexual murderers using a sample of 662 cases of sexual murders from the Sexual Homicide International Database (SHIelD) occurring in France and Canada. Results: Findings from descriptive analysis showed that most SHOs are forensically aware. Results from sequential binomial regression analyses indicated that criminal expertise and crime characteristics were the most important factors to explain the decision taken by sexual murderers to use or not strategies to avoid police detection. Conclusions: The use forensic awareness strategies by SHOs are not influenced by situational characteristics of the crime but instead relies on the offender’s experience, expertise, and the type of acts they committed. Theoretical implications and utility for police investigations are discussed.

This research investigates violent stranger rapes and the factors leading these cases to sexual homicides. Variables relating to modus operandi characteristics on one part and offender behavior on the other part are examined using conjunctive analysis of cases configuration to identify the different combinations leading to a lethal outcome. Using a French sample of 1263 cases of violent rapes and 303 cases of sexual homicides involving female adult victims, we find that blows given by offenders and information about physical resistance of victims are strongly associated intentional and non‐intentional sexual homicides. Psychoactive substance consumption by offenders as well associal isolation are in a lesser extend also associated with the lethal outcome.

This study investigates the role of criminal dismemberment in sexual homicide crime-commission process. Specifically, this research aims to empirically determine whether criminal dismemberment is a rational behavior aimed at avoiding detection or an expression of sexual deviance. The sample used in this study comes from the Sexual Homicide International Database (SHIelD). Bivariate and multivariate analyses are performed to examine the differences between the crime commission process of sexual murderers who dismembered their victims (n = 77) and those who did not (n = 585). Findings indicate that criminal dismemberment occurred more often as part of a sexual deviance. Specifically, this behavior is strongly associated with the intention to kill the victim, necrophilia, mutilation of genitals, and commission of extreme acts committed on/with victims’ bodies. Moreover, findings showed that these offenders are more likely to follow an organized modus operandi. Theoretical and practical implications in terms of criminal investigations are discussed.

This research investigates violent stranger rapes and the factors leading these cases to sexual homicides. Variables relating to modus operandi characteristics on one part and offender behavior on the other part are examined using conjunctive analysis of cases configuration to identify the different combinations leading to a lethal outcome. Using a French sample of 1263 cases of violent rapes and 303 cases of sexual homicides involving female adult victims, we find that blows given by offenders and information about physical resistance of victims are strongly associated intentional and non‐intentional sexual homicides. Psychoactive substance consumption by offenders as well associal isolation are in a lesser extend also associated with the lethal outcome.

Background: Research on sexual homicide of child victims is scarce. Studies focusing on the lethal outcome in sexual crimes involving adult victims suggest that those offenders who end up killing their victims present both specific individual and crime-commission process characteristics. Nevertheless, recent studies indicate that findings with adult victims may not adequately explain the lethal outcome in sexual crimes of children. Objective: The purpose of this study is to identify specific combination of offenders, victims and crime-commission process factors associated with a lethal outcome in child sexual abuse. Participants: This study compares and analyzes the characteristics of 646 cases of extrafamilial child abuses with 136 cases of sexual homicide involving children. Methods: Bivariate analyses and sequential binomial regression analyses were conducted to identify variables associated with crime outcome. Finally, conjunctive analyses were used to identify combinations of factors that are the most likely associated with the lethal outcome. Results: Results indicate that both offenders and crime-commission process characteristics are strongly associated with sexual homicides of children. Conclusions: Offenders who sexually murder children are extremely instrumental and opportunistic. They are also more likely to have a life history characterized by the manifestation of diverse antisocial conducts. The findings of this study provide important theoretical and practical implications for crime investigations, prevention, and offenders’ management.

This study investigates the role of sexual sadism in the crime-commission process of sexual homicide (SH) involving child victims. A comparison between sadistic and nonsadistic cases involving child victims is conducted by examining the crime context, crime characteristics, methods of killing, body recovery characteristics, and forensic awareness strategies used by offenders. The sample comes from the Sexual Homicide International Database (SHIelD) including 135 cases of solved SHs involving child victims—35 cases with sexual sadism and 101 cases without sexual sadism. The Sexual Homicide Crime Scene Rating Scale for Sexual Sadism (SADSEX-SH) scale is used to identify sexual sadism from crime scene actions. Bivariate and multivariate analysis are performed to examine the differences between the two groups. Findings indicate that sadistic SH of children are characterized by an important level of structured premeditation, the commission of more diversified sexual acts, the use of specific method of killing, and the partial use of forensic awareness strategies. Practical implications in terms of criminal investigations are discussed.

Purpose: The study examines violent sexual offenses against elderly victims that resulted in either serious injuries or death and explore whether certain components of the crime-commission process explain the different outcomes. The study investigates the question of whether a lethal outcome in elderly sexual assaults is the result of an escalation in violence or a different intent. Methods: Bivariate and logistic regression analyses were conducted on a sample of 199 offenders convicted of a violent sexual offense against an elderly woman that resulted in either severe physical injury (n = 145) or death (n = 54) of the victim. Results: Results showed that violent sexual offenses ending with the death of the victim were more likely to be characterized by the use of a weapon, foreign object insertion, and the taking of items belonging to the victim. Violent sexual offenses ending with serious physical injuries were characterized by the presence of penetration (anally and vaginally) as well as ejaculation in or on the victim. Conclusions: Differences observed between the two groups suggest that offenders who killed the victims had the intent do so compared to those offenders who inflicted several physical injuries. Practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Despite a recent increase in the number of studies published on sexual homicide (SH), several of these studies have been based on small and nonrepresentative samples. This study aims to describe and compare two samples of SH from France (n = 412) and Canada (n = 350) where data have been collected and coded with the same tool. The data include variables related to the crime, the offender, and the victim characteristics. The overarching goal is to further the knowledge about French SH and to assess the possibility of merging French and Canadian cases to create a cross-national database of 772 cases of SH. Among the 126 variables included in the comparative analysis, 31 (24.60%) presented significant differences between the two samples. Overall, findings suggest that SH cases between the two countries are more similar than they are different.

Despite a recent increase in the number of studies published on sexual homicide (SH), several of these studies have been based on small and nonrepresentative samples. This study aims to describe and compare two samples of SH from France (n = 412) and Canada (n = 350) where data have been collected and coded with the same tool. The data include variables related to the crime, the offender, and the victim characteristics. The overarching goal is to further the knowledge about French SH and to assess the possibility of merging French and Canadian cases to create a cross-national database of 772 cases of SH. Among the 126 variables included in the comparative analysis, 31 (24.60%) presented significant differences between the two samples. Overall, findings suggest that SH cases between the two countries are more similar than they are different.

Sexual homicides involving elderly victims are rare and unusual crimes, and research specifically focusing on these homicides is almost inexistent. The current study investigates the crime commission process as well as the motivations underlying elderly sexual homicides. The sample comes from the Sexual Homicide International Database (SHIelD) including sexual homicide cases from Canada and France. A total of 56 cases involving victims aged 65years or more were compared with 513 cases involving victims aged between 16 and 45years old. Bivariate analyses and two‐step cluster analysis are performed. Findings show major differences in the crime commission process of the two groups of offenders. We also identified a four‐cluster typology of elderly sexual homicide offenders based on their motivations (sexual, robber, sadistic, experimental). Although sexual homicides involving elderly victims are rare, these crimes are different, presenting specificities and should be studied as a group on its own.

Sexual homicides involving elderly victims are rare and unusual crimes, and research specifically focusing on these homicides is almost inexistent. The current study investigates the crime commission process as well as the motivations underlying elderly sexual homicides. The sample comes from the Sexual Homicide International Database (SHIelD) including sexual homicide cases from Canada and France. A total of 56 cases involving victims aged 65 years or more were compared with 513 cases involving victims aged between 16 and 45 years old. Bivariate analyses and two‐step cluster analysis are performed. Findings show major differences in the crime commission process of the two groups of offenders. We also identified a four‐cluster typology of elderly sexual homicide offenders based on their motivations (sexual, robber, sadistic, experimental). Although sexual homicides involving elderly victims are rare, these crimes are different, presenting specificities and should be studied as a group on its own.

Purpose: The study examines violent sexual offenses against elderly victims that resulted in either serious injuries or death and explore whether certain components of the crime-commission process explain the different outcomes. The study investigates the question of whether a lethal outcome in elderly sexual assaults is the result of an escalation in violence or a different intent. Methods: Bivariate and logistic regression analyses were conducted on a sample of 199 offenders convicted of a violent sexual offense against an elderly woman that resulted in either severe physical injury (n = 145) or death (n = 54) of the victim. Results: Results showed that violent sexual offenses ending with the death of the victim were more likely to be characterized by the use of a weapon, foreign object insertion, and the taking of items belonging to the victim. Violent sexual offenses ending with serious physical injuries were characterized by the presence of penetration (anally and vaginally) as well as ejaculation in or on the victim. Conclusions: Differences observed between the two groups suggest that offenders who killed the victims had the intent do so compared to those offenders who inflicted several physical injuries. Practical implications of the findings are discussed.

The sexual homicide of a child is an unusual event, and very few studies have been conducted on the topic. Previous studies have mainly focused on the differences between sexual homicide of child and adult victims. The current study aims to identify a typology of sexual homicide of children based on modus operandi, offenders’ and victims’ characteristics. Using two-step cluster analysis on a sample of 72 cases of extra familial sexual homicide of children (aged 16 years or below) from France, six clusters have been identified on the basis of eight modus operandi variables: intentional/prepubescent, inadvertent/prepubescent, intentional/preteen, inadvertent/preteen, indiscriminate/teen, and intentional/teen. External validity of the classification was tested using 51 additional variables related to victims, offenders, and other modus operandi characteristics. Findings showed that sexual homicide of children is a heterogeneous phenomenon, largely influenced by the actual age of the victim and the type of violence used. Implications of the findings are discussed considering prevention, criminal investigation, and correctional practices.

This study aims to empirically explore the necrophilia patterns in sexual homicide. More specifically, the study investigates offender, victim, and crime characteristics of sexual homicides where necrophilic acts were perpetrated, to determine whether the primary motivation to kill is associated with the attainment of corpses or whether the post-mortem sexual acts were secondary deviant behaviors. The sample used in this study consists of 109 cases of extrafamilial sexual homicides where post-mortem sexual acts were committed by offenders. Latent class analysis was used to examine each step of the crime-commission process of sexual homicide offenders involved in necrophilic behaviours. Our findings suggest that there are four different patterns of necrophilia in sexual homicide: Opportunistic, experimental, preferential, and sadistic. preferential offenders are the only ones who specifically kill their victims in order to have sex with their corpses, while for sadistic, experimental, and opportunistic offeders post-mortem sexual acts were part of a secondary deviant process. Practical implications in terms of criminal investigations and offenders’ treatment are discussed.

This study investigates the role of sexual sadism in the crime-commission process of sexual homicide (SH) involving child victims. A comparison between sadistic and nonsadistic cases involving child victims is conducted by examining the crime context, crime characteristics, methods of killing, body recovery characteristics, and forensic awareness strategies used by offenders. The sample comes from the Sexual Homicide International Database (SHIelD) including 135 cases of solved SHs involving child victims—35 cases with sexual sadism and 101 cases without sexual sadism. The Sexual Homicide Crime Scene Rating Scale for Sexual Sadism (SADSEX-SH) scale is used to identify sexual sadism from crime scene actions. Bivariate and multivariate analysis are performed to examine the differences between the two groups. Findings indicate that sadistic SH of children are characterized by an important level of structured premeditation, the commission of more diversified sexual acts, the use of specific method of killing, and the partial use of forensic awareness strategies. Practical implications in terms of criminal investigations are discussed.

Background: Research on sexual homicide of child victims is scarce. Studies focusing on the lethal outcome in sexual crimes involving adult victims suggest that those offenders who end up killing their victims present both specific individual and crime-commission process characteristics. Nevertheless, recent studies indicate that findings with adult victims may not adequately explain the lethal outcome in sexual crimes of children. Objective: The purpose of this study is to identify specific combination of offenders, victims and crime-commission process factors associated with a lethal outcome in child sexual abuse. Participants: This study compares and analyzes the characteristics of 646 cases of extrafamilial child abuses with 136 cases of sexual homicide involving children. Methods: Bivariate analyses and sequential binomial regression analyses were conducted to identify variables associated with crime outcome. Finally, conjunctive analyses were used to identify combinations of factors that are the most likely associated with the lethal outcome. Results: Results indicate that both offenders and crime-commission process characteristics are strongly associated with sexual homicides of children. Conclusions: Offenders who sexually murder children are extremely instrumental and opportunistic. They are also more likely to have a life history characterized by the manifestation of diverse antisocial conducts. The findings of this study provide important theoretical and practical implications for crime investigations, prevention, and offenders’ management.

The current study investigates the modus operandi specificities for the sexual abuse against the elderly. A comparison between sex crimes against adult and elderly victims is conducted following the criminal event approach. The comparison is based on the precrime, crime, and postcrime phases of the modus operandi, operationalized through 53 variables. The sample comes from a French national police database including a total of 1,829 cases—including 130 cases of elderly sexual abuse and 1,699 cases of sexual abuse against victims aged between 18 and 45 years. Bivariate and multivariate analyses are performed to examine the differences in the two groups. Several differences are observed between the two modus operandi. Findings indicate that the precrime phase is the most important to explain these differences, and this phase of the criminal event affects the rest of the decisions taken during the crime and postcrime phases. Specifically, we have highlighted that sexual crimes against the elderly are more violent and occur more often in the victim’s residence. This study suggests that offenders targeting the elderly use specific crime characteristics, and this allows to highlight practical implications in terms of investigation and offender management.

This study aims to empirically explore the necrophilia patterns in sexual homicide. More specifically, the study investigates offender, victim, and crime characteristics of sexual homicides where necrophilic acts were perpetrated, to determine whether the primary motivation to kill is associated with the attainment of corpses or whether the post-mortem sexual acts were secondary deviant behaviors. The sample used in this study consists of 109 cases of extrafamilial sexual homicides where post-mortem sexual acts were committed by offenders. Latent class analysis was used to examine each step of the crime-commission process of sexual homicide offenders involved in necrophilic behaviours. Our findings suggest that there are four different patterns of necrophilia in sexual homicide: Opportunistic, experimental, preferential, and sadistic. preferential offenders are the only ones who specifically kill their victims in order to have sex with their corpses, while for sadistic, experimental, and opportunistic offeders post-mortem sexual acts were part of a secondary deviant process. Practical implications in terms of criminal investigations and offenders’ treatment are discussed.