Forensic Psychology Research Team

Mario J. Scalora, Ph.D.

Sexual Assault Research

The impact of sexual violence upon society is difficult to ignore. The recidivism risk posed by such offenders is also substantial as nearly one-quarter of incarcerated sexual offenders are re-convicted for future violent or sexual crimes (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2002). As a result, my research team has focused upon developing an empirically informed understanding of the relative contributions of various risk dynamic and static risk factors upon sexual offender recidivism. Our access to law enforcement, correctional, and treatment sample data, has allowed us to study the impact of various factors related to treatment involvement (e.g., level of coercion into treatment, legal status) and treatment success upon recidivism rates (e.g., Scalora & Garbin, 2003). My research team continues to study the relationship of various factors upon treatment response and subsequent recidivism with both juvenile and adult sexual offenders.

My research team has also assessed the degree to which sex offenders differ on various risk factors compared to other violent offenders to assess whether some offense-specific factors outside of characterological factors such as psychopathy may provide incremental validity to risk assessment activities. For example, we have found that sex offenders differ from other violent offenders related to crime-related cognitions (Hatch-Maillette, Scalora, Huss, & Baumgartner, 2001), empathic deficits (Covell & Scalora, 2002), and fantasy activity (Baumgartner, Scalora, & Huss, 2002).

Another area of focus of my scholarship concerning sexual violence involves the substantial policy concerns regarding the management of sexual offenders and the prevention of sexual violence. A significant amount of activity has involved bringing the relevant literature to the debate concerning controversial topics such as community notification and sexual predator laws. In addition to exploring the contours of psychological expertise in these areas, several logistical issues also suggest some of the difficulties inherent in such policies (Schopp, Pearce, & Scalora, 1998; Schopp, Scalora, & Pearce, 1999). The impact of these management activities upon offender attitudes toward treatment involvement and community adjustment has also been investigated (e.g., Elbogen, Patry, & Scalora, 2003).

The team is continuing research on the relative impact of dynamic (e.g., treatment related) risk factors such as offense-specific cognitions (Hatch-Maillette, Scalora, Huss, & Baumgartner, 2001), empathic deficits (Covell & Scalora, 2002), and fantasy activity (Baumgartner, Scalora, & Huss, 2002) relative to recidivism as well as amenability to treatment. This research has also generated some recent studies in progress within my team investigating additional personality factors related to sex offender treatment response and recidivism, such as locus of control (Page & Scalora, in press), adjustment indicators, and sensation seeking (sexual and otherwise) with both juvenile and adult offender populations (e.g., Page & Scalora, 2002). Research is also underway to better understand the relationship between substance abuse and sexual offense-related behavior as well as recidivism. In addition, more focused activity has centered upon more specific definition of which aspects of treatment involvement (e.g., attainment of specific goals related to victim empathy or cognitive distortions) are indicative of positive treatment response and mitigated recidivism risk.

Representative publications in this area:

Elbogen, E. B., Patry, M., & Scalora, M. J. (2003). The impact of community notification laws on sex offender treatment attitudes. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 26, 207-219.

Scalora, M. J., & Garbin C. P. (2003). Toward a Multivariate Model of Sex Offender Recidivism. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 47, 309- 323. pdf version

Baumgartner, J. V., Scalora, M. J., & Huss, M. T. (2002). Assessment of the Wilson Sex Fantasy Questionnaire among child molesters and non-sexual forensic offenders. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 14, 19-33.

Covell, C. N., & Scalora, M. J. (2002). Empathic deficits in sexual offenders: An integration of affective, social, and cognitive constructs. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 7, 251-270. pdf version

Calkins-Mercado, C., Elbogen, E., & Scalora, M. J., (2001). Judgments of dangerousness: Differential risk assessment for sex offenders v. civil psychiatric patients. Journal of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Law, 8, 146- 153.

Calkins-Mercado, C., & Scalora, M. J. (2001). Child molestation: Factors related to level of violence. Journal of Threat Assessment, 1, 21-34.

Hatch-Maillette, M. A., Scalora, M. J., Huss, M. T., & Baumgartner, J. V. (2001). Criminal thinking patterns: Are sex offenders unique? International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 45, 102-117.

Representative conference presentations in this area:

Bruhn, S. W., Huss, M. T., Scalora, M.J., & Soto, R. D. (2002, August). An examination of criminal thinking, Psychopathy, and personality functioning in offenders. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the American Psychological Association, Chicago, Illinois.

Huss, M. T., Scalora, M. J., Baumgartner, J. V., & Soto, R. (2002, March). Predicting sexual violence: The relative contribution of structured methods. Paper to be presented at the American Psychology-Law Society Biennial Conference, Austin, Texas.

Krebs, J. A., Baumgartner, J. V., Scalora, M. J., & Plank, G. L. (2002, March).The relationship of offense-related alcohol use to child molester offending behavior. Poster to be presented at the American Psychology-Law Society Biennial Conference, Austin, Texas.

Page, G. L., & Scalora, M. J. (2002, March). Assessing treatment response of juvenile sexual offenders in a residential treatment facility. Poster presented at the American Psychology-Law Society Biennial Conference, Austin, Texas.

Soto, R. D., Bruhn, S. L., Scalora, M. J., & Huss, M. T. (2002, March). The interrelationship of psychopathy, sexual fantasy, and criminal thinking patterns in sex offenders. Poster presented at the American Psychology-Law Society Biennial Conference, Austin, Texas.

Baumgartner, J. V., Krebs, J. A., Scalora, M. J., & Plank, G. L. (2002, March). The effect of offender and offense variables on length of incarceration among convicted child molesters. Poster presented at the American Psychology-Law Society Biennial Conference, Austin, Texas.

Mercado, C.C. & Scalora, M.J. (2001, February). The association between offense characteristics, psychopathy, and displays of violence within sexual offenses. Poster presented at the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Seattle, WA.