Identifying Personality Differences between Low Risk and High Risk Sexual Offenders

Previous research has yielded inconsistent results in determining recidivism rates among sexual offenders. The nature of risk assessment is focused on developing tools to better assess an individual's risk level for committing another offense. Determining a sexual offender's level of risk must never solely rely on a single instrument; both stable and dynamic factors must be taken into account. The purpose of this study is to identify differences in personality characteristics between high and low risk sexual offenders. Personality traits were assessed using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) and level of risk was determined using the Structured Risk Assessment – Forensic Version (SRA-FV).