Essay
Essay criminology sex offenders
- Module
- Criminology
- Institution
- Southampton Solent University (SSU)
Essay about sex offenders in the media
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Sex offenders against children are often subject to labelling andpublic shaming in the media. Does “labelling” increase their risk
of serious offending, and therefore their dangerousness, or
reduce it? Evaluate this and present an argument for or against
it using criminological theory and academic sources to support
it.
Sexual offences against minors is considered a serious crime that can have a
substantial negative impact on the victim as well as the wider community. The
question of whether labelling and public shaming of sex offenders against
minors increases or decreases their likelihood of major offending and
dangerousness is one of several that the punishment of such crimes poses. In
order to assess the pros and cons of naming and public shame of sex offenders
against minors, this essay will use criminological theory and scholarly sources.
“According to research, paedophilia, or having a sexual interest in minors,
affects 1 to 5% of males. Contrary to popular belief, paedophilia is not a
necessary or adequate basis for sexual misconduct against minors. In actuality,
an estimated 40–60% of sexual offences against children are not carried out by
individuals with paedophilic tendencies, while it is unknown how many people
who have a sexual attraction for children do not conduct sexual offences.”
(Stelzmann, Jahnke, and Kuhle, 2020)
According to the labelling theory, “People who engage in deviant behaviour
may develop a deviant identity and engage in additional deviance. The term
"sex offender" can be self-fulfilling in the case of those who commit sex crimes
against children, leading to stigmatisation, marginalisation, and additional
offences.” (Becker, H.S. 1963). According to the 1960s-era labelling theory,
people who participate in deviant behaviour may develop a deviant identity,
which may encourage them to engage in even more deviant behaviour. When
, applied to sex offenders who target children, the term "sex offender" can
become self-fulfilling, since the offender may feel stigmatised and
marginalised, which encourages them to commit more crimes. According to
this viewpoint, naming sex offenders against minors may raise their likelihood
of committing significant crimes and becoming dangerous.
Some academics suggest that identifying and public shame of child sex abusers
might be considered a sort of restorative justice. This strategy aims to involve
all parties in the process of addressing the harm caused by crime and focuses
on healing the damage created by crime. The community take action to
identify and correct the harm caused by sex offenders' offences by publicly
naming and shaming them. By addressing the root causes of the behaviour,
this method can aid in healing and help stop future offences. “The possibility of
job loss, housing discrimination, and social isolation as a result of being publicly
shamed and branded is one of the causes for this, all of which can worsen
stress, anxiety, and depression” (Ward, 1995). Some offenders may become
sexually aroused by these unpleasant emotions, which could lead to more
offence. In addition, labelling theory contends that labelling and public shame
of child sex offenders may foster the emergence of deviant subcultures. A
community of people with comparable histories of stigmatisation and
marginalisation may arise among some sex offenders. “In this community, child
sexual abuse may become embraced and accepted, which could result in
additional offences” (Marshall, Anderson and Fernandez, 1999).
Focusing on the labelling of child sex offenders in the media can have both
beneficial and negative effects on the identified offenders and the larger
community. Publicly identifying paedophiles can increase awareness of the
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