Exploring the Relationship Between Major Mental Illness and Sex Offending Behavior in a High-Risk Population

Empirically supported risk factors are predictive of sexual re-offense regardless of whether individuals suffer from a major mental illness. A small subgroup of individuals with major mental illness may be more likely to demonstrate acute psychotic symptoms at the time of their sexual offending behavior (Smith & Taylor, 1999). This study reviewed archival data from a high-risk sample to identify 55 individuals with major mental illness who had committed a total of 176 sex offenses. The relationship between acute psychiatric symptoms and criminogenic needs was explored. Most sex offenses were not temporally related to acute psychiatric symptoms. The apparent effect of mental health symptoms on criminogenic factors over the individual’s life was rated. Where acute symptoms were associated with worsened criminogenic factors, this most often involved Grievance Thinking, Poor Emotional Control, and Poor Problem-Solving. Typologies emerged based on the pattern of criminogenic needs along with demographic and offense characteristics. Assessment and treatment implications are discussed.