Assessment, Diagnosis, and Risk Management of Sexual Offenders with Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

Persons with intellectual disabilities represent a unique and important subgroup of sexual offenders. There is evidence that such individuals commit sexual offenses at rates higher than sex offenders without intellectual disadvantage or delay. Available research indicates that there are both important similarities and differences between the sex offender with intellectual disability and other neurotypical sex offenders. As a result, there can be complex issues associated with assessment, diagnosis, and risk management with persons with intellectual disabilities who have sexually offended. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss characteristics associated with intellectual disabilities and those who have sexually offended, address modifications needed in the assessment process including adapting interviewing and testing techniques and procedures selected for lower cognitive levels of functioning. In addition, issues related to comorbid psychiatric and psychological conditions and, more broadly, diagnostic challenges are addressed. The applications of actuarial risk assessment, as well as other approaches to risk assessment, are considered relative to offenders with intellectual disabilities. Finally, evidence-based interventions are considered, including both those designed to assist the offender client in reducing his own risk and interventions to assist persons in the offenders' "risk management circle." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)