Dr. Danielle Harris recently received a grant from the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation for her project, “Desistance from sexual offending across the life course: A multimethod approach”.
This study explores the nature and extent of desistance from offending for a sample of men convicted of sexual offenses and referred for civil commitment at the Massachusetts Treatment Center (MTC). This study is part of a larger project that constitutes the longest, most comprehensive follow-up of male sex offenders ever conducted. Up to 1189 participants who were housed at the MTC between 1959 and 1991 have been followed for a period of up to 52 years. This specific will examine potential protective factors that may contribute to an in-depth understanding about why some offenders desist from participating in sexual violence, whereas others do not. These questions will be explored through interviews of a subset of subjects. We will locate, interview, and administer the Multidimensional Inventory of Development, Sex, and Aggression (a contingency-based computerized inventory; MIDSA, 2008) to 50 recidivists and 50 desisters.
The project begins in late January and continues through next January.
Congratulations!
