Sexual Coercion & Deviance

In the area of sexual aggression Dr. Knight developed and validated both etiological and taxonomic models for rapists and child molesters. He has completed a 25-year follow-up of sex offenders released from the Massachusetts Treatment Center and has done substantial research on risk assessment and prediction. He has collaborated on other follow-up studies and has been involved in the creation of a dynamic risk assessment instrument. He developed that MIDSA to supplement his interview and archival studies, and has used the inventory to develop and test his models and to study their components–hypersexuality, impulsivity, psychopathy, sadism, and paraphilic coercion.

Etiology and Developmental Antecedents

Bard, L. A., Carter, D. L., Cerce, D. D., Knight, R. A., Rosenberg, R., Schneider, B. (1987). A descriptive study of rapists and child molesters: Developmental, clinical, and criminal characteristics. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 5, 203-220.

Berman, A. K., & Knight, R. A. (2014). The relation of familiarity with sexual abusers to subsequent adaptation in youth who have sexually offended. Sexual Abuse: Journal of Research and Treatment

Daversa, M. T. & Knight, R. A. (2007). A structural examination of the predictors of sexual coercion against children in adolescent sexual offenders. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 34, 1313-1333.

Grabell, A., & Knight, R. A. (2009). Examining childhood abuse patterns and critical periods in juvenile sexual offenders. Sexual Abuse: Journal of Research and Treatment, 21, 208-222.

Johnson, G. M., & Knight, R. A. (2000). Developmental antecedents of sexual coercion in juvenile sex offenders. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 12, 165-178.

Knight, R. A., Prentky, R., Schneider, B., & Rosenberg, R. (1983). Linear causal modeling of adaptation and criminal history in sexual offenders. In K. T. Van Dusen & S. A. Mednick (Eds.), Prospective studies of crime and delinquency (pp. 303-341). Boston: Kluwer Nijhoff Publishing

Knight, R. A., & Sims-Knight, J. E. (2003). Developmental antecedents of sexual coercion against women: Testing of alternative hypotheses with structural equation modeling. In R. A. Prentky, E. Janus, & M. Seto (Eds.), Sexual coercion: Understanding and management (pp. 72-85). New York: New York Academy of Sciences.

Knight, R. A., & Sims-Knight, J. E. (2004). Testing an etiological model for male juvenile sexual offending against females. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 13, 33-55

Knight, R. A., & Sims-Knight, J. E. (2009, September). Using rapist risk factors to set an agenda for rape prevention. Harrisburg, PA: VAWnet, a project of the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence/Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Retrieved month/day/year, from: www.vawnet.org.

Knight, R. A., & Sims-Knight, J. E. (2011). Risk factors for sexual violence. In J. W. White, M. P. Koss, & A. E. Kazdin (Eds.), Violence against women and children, Volume 1: Mapping the terrain (pp. 125-172). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Krstic, S., Robertson, C. A., & Knight, R. A. (2014). The developmental antecedents of the facets of psychopathy: The role of multiple abuse experiences. Manuscript submitted for publication.

Miner, M. H., Berg, D., Knight, R. A., Robinson, B. E., Swinburne Romine, R., & Netland, J. (2010). Understanding sexual perpetration against children: Effects of attachment style, interpersonal involvement, and hypersexuality. Sexual Abuse: Journal of Research and Treatment, 22, 58-77.

Miner, M. H., Swinburne-Romine, R., Robinson, B. E., Berg, D., & Knight, R. A. (in press). Anxious attachment, social isolation, and sexuality: predictors of child sexual abuse perpetration in adolescent males? Sexual Abuse: Journal of Research and Treatment.

Prentky, R. A., & Knight, R. A. (1993). Age of onset of sexual assault: Criminal and life history correlates. In G. C. Nagayama Hall, R. Hirschman, J. R. Graham, & M. S. Zaragoza (Eds.). (Eds.), Sexual aggression: Issues in etiology and assessment, treatment and policy (pp. 43-62). Washington, D.C.: Hemisphere Publishing Corp.

Prentky, R. A., Knight, R. A., Sims-Knight, J. E., Straus, H., Rokous, F., & Cerce, D. (1989). Developmental antecedents of sexual aggression. Development and Psychopathology, 1, 153-169.

Schatzel-Murphy, E., Harris, D., Knight, R. A., & Milburn, M. (2009). Sexual coercion in men and women: Similar behaviors, different predictors. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 38, 974-986.

Juveniles Who Sexually Offend

Johnson, G. M., & Knight, R. A. (2000). Developmental antecedents of sexual coercion in juvenile sex offenders. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 12, 165-178.

Knight, R. A. (2004). Comparisons between juvenile and adult sexual offenders on the Multidimensional Assessment of Sex and Aggression. In G. O’Reilly, W. L. Marshall, R. Beckett, & A. Carr (Eds.), Handbook of clinical interventions with young people who sexually abuse (pp. 203-233). London: Routledge.

Knight, R. A., & Cerce, D. D. (1999). Validation and revision of the Multidimensional Assessment of Sex and Aggression. Psychologica Belgica, 39-2/3, 187-213.

Knight, R. A., & Prentky, R. A. (1987). The developmental antecedents and adult adaptations of rapist subtypes. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 14, 403-426.

Knight, R. A., & Prentky, R. A. (1993). Exploring the characteristics for classifying juvenile sexual offenders. In H. E. Barbaree, W. L. Marshall, & S. M. Hudson (Eds.), The juvenile sex offender (pp. 45-83). New York: Guilford Press.

Knight, R. A., Ronis, S. T., & Zakireh, B. (2009). Bootstrapping persistence risk indicators for juveniles who sexually offend. Behavioral Sciences and the Law 27, 878-909.

Knight, R. A., & Sims-Knight, J. E. (2004). Testing an etiological model for male juvenile sexual offending against females. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 13, 33-55.

Knight, R. A., & Sims-Knight, J. E. (2014). Assessment of dynamic treatment targets for juveniles who sexually offend. In D. Bromberg, & W. O’Donahue (Eds.), Toolkit for working with sexual offenders, Amsterdam: Elsevier, Inc.

Righthand, S., Prentky, R., Knight, R., Carpenter, E., Hecker, J. E., & Nagel, D. (2005). Factor structure and validity of the Juvenile Offender Assessment Protocol (J-SOAP). Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 17, 13-30.27, 878-909.

Zakireh, B., Ronis, S. T., & Knight, R. A. (2008). Individual beliefs, attitudes, and victimization histories of male juvenile sexual offenders. Sexual Abuse: Journal of Research and Treatment, 20, 323-351.

Rapists & Child Molesters: Typologies and Differentiation

Bard, L. A., & Knight, R. A. (1987). Sex offender subtypes and the MCMI. In C. Green (Ed.), Conference on the Millon inventories (MCMI, MBHI, MAPI) (pp. 133-137). Minneapolis: National Computer Systems.

Burgess, A. W., Campbell, J., Delaney, T. A., Heck, R. O., Knight, R., Lanning, K. V., Prentky, R. A., Rabun, J. B., Jr., & Ressler, R. K. (1992). Serial child molesters and abductors. In A. W. Burgess (Ed.), Child trauma I: Issues & research (pp. 443-457). New York: Garland Publishing, Inc.

Francis, B., Harris, D. A., Wallace, S., Knight, R. A., & Soothill, K. (2014). Sexual and general offending trajectories of men referred for civil commitment. Sexual Abuse: Journal of Research and Treatment, 26, 311-329. DOI: 10.1177/1079063213492341.

Hamdi, N., & Knight, R. A. (2012). The effects of perpetrator and victim intoxication on the sexual aggressiveness of rapists and child molesters. Sexual Abuse: Journal of Research and Treatment, 24(4), 307-327. DOI: 10.1177/1079063211420450.

Harris, D. A., Mazerolle, P., & Knight, R. A. (2009). Understanding male sexual offending: A comparison of general and specialist theories. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 36, 1051-1069. DOI: 0093-8548.

Knight, R. A. (1988). A taxonomic analysis of child molesters. In R. A. Prentky and V. E. Quinsey (Eds.), Human sexual aggression: Current perspectives (pp. 2-20). New York: New York Academy of Sciences.

Knight, R. A. (1989). An assessment of concurrent validity of a child molester typology. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 4, 131-150.

Knight, R. A. (1999). Validation of a typology for rapists. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 14, 297-323.

Knight, R. A. (2010). Typologies for rapists: The generation of a new structural model. In A.Schlank, (Ed.), The sexual predator, Volume four (pp. 17-1 – 17-28). NY: Civic Research Institute.

Knight, R. A., Carter, D. L., & Prentky, R. A. (1989). A system for the classification of child molesters: Reliability and application. Journal of Interpersonal Violence 4, 3-23.

Knight, R. A., & King, M. W. (2012). Typologies for child molesters: The generation of a new structural model. In B. K. Schwartz (Ed.), The Sexual Offender, Vol. 7, Kingston, NJ: Civic Research Institute, Inc.

Knight, R. A., & Prentky, R. A. (1987). The developmental antecedents and adult adaptations of rapist subtypes. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 14, 403-426.

Knight, R. A., & Prentky, R. A. (1990). Classifying sexual offenders: The development and corroboration of taxonomic models. In W. L. Marshall, D. R. Laws, & H. E. Barbaree (Eds.), The handbook of sexual assault: Issues, theories, and treatment of the offender (pp. 23-52). New York: Plenum Press.

Knight, R. A., Rosenberg, R., & Schneider, B. (1985). Classification of sexual offenders: Perspectives, methods, and validation. In A. W. Burgess (Ed.), Research handbook on rape and sexual assault (pp. 222-293). New York: Garland Publishing Inc.

Knight, R. A., & Sims-Knight, J. E. (2014). A theoretical integration of etiological and typological models of rape. In T. Ward, & A. Beech (Eds.), Theories of Sexual Offending.

Knight, R. A., Warren, J. I., Reboussin, R., & Soley, B. J. (1998). Predicting rapist type from crime-scene variables. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 25, 46-80.

Prentky, R. A., & Knight, & R. A. (1991). Identifying critical dimensions for discriminating among rapists. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59, 643-661.

Prentky, R. A., Knight, R. A., Burgess, A. W., Ressler, R. R., Campbell, J., & Lanning, K. V. (1991). Child molesters who abduct. Violence and Victims, 6, 213-224.

Prentky, R. A., Knight, R. A., & Lee, A. F. S. (1997). Child sexual molestation: Research issues. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice. www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/163390.pdf.

Prentky, R. A., Knight, R. A., & Lee, A. F. S. (2006). Child sexual molestation: Research issues. In C. R. Bartol & A. M. Bartol (Eds.), Current perspectives in forensic psychology and criminal justice (pp. 119-129). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Prentky, R. A., Knight, R. A., & Rosenberg, R. (1988). Validation analyses on a taxonomic system for rapists: Disconfirmation and reconceptualization. In R. A. Prentky and V. E. Quinsey (Eds.), Human sexual aggression: Current perspectives (pp. 21-40). New York: New York Academy of Sciences.

Prentky, R. A., Knight, R. A., Rosenberg, R., & Lee, A. (1989). A path analytic approach to the validation of a taxonomic system for classifying child molesters. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 5, 231-257.

Rosenberg, R., & Knight, R. A. (1988). Determining male sexual offender subtypes using cluster analysis. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 4, 383-410.

Rosenberg, R., Knight, R. A., Prentky, R. A., & Lee, A. (1988). Validating the components of a taxonomic system for rapists: A path analytic approach. Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 16, 169-185.

Ullman, S., & Knight, R. A. (1991). A multivariate analysis for predicting rape and injury outcomes during sexual assaults. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59, 724-731.

Ullman, S., & Knight, R. A. (1992). Fighting back: Women’s resistance to rape. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 7, 31-43.

Ullman, S. E., & Knight, R. A. (1993). The efficacy of women’s resistance strategies in rape situations. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 17, 23-38.

Ullman, S. E., & Knight, R. A. (1995). The efficacy of women’s resistance strategies to different types of rapists. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 22, 263-283.

Risk Assessment

Knight, R. A. (2003). Risk assessment of recidivism: Discussion of the section, comments by Dr. Knight. In R. A. Prentky, E. Janus, & M. Seto (Eds.), Sexual coercion: Understanding and management (pp. 241-244). New York: New York Academy of Sciences.

Knight, R. A., Ronis, S. T., & Zakireh, B. (2009). Bootstrapping persistence risk indicators for juveniles who sexually offend. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 27, 878-909.

Knight, R. A., & Thornton, D. (2007). Evaluating and Improving Risk Assessment Schemes for Sexual Recidivism: A Long-Term Follow-Up of Convicted Sexual Offenders. Final Report, NCJ 217618, nij.ncjrs.gov/publications.

Parent, G., Guay, J.-P., Bernard, C., & Knight, R. A. (2011). Intégration sociale et récidive chez les délinquants sexuels graves : Une etude exploratoire. In M. Tardif (Éd.), L’agression sexuelle : Transformations et paradoxes, Cifas 2009. Textes choisis, (pp. 256-283). Montréal: Cifas-Institut Philippe-Pinel de Montréal.

Parent, G., Guay, J. P., & Knight, R. A. (2009). Évaluation de la validité prédictive de neuf instruments chez les agresseurs sexuels adultes. Criminologie, 42, 223-247.

Parent, G., Guay, J. P. & Knight, R. A. (2009). La contribution des arbres de classification et de régression dans la prédiction de la récidive chez les délinquants sexuels adultes. Revue Européenne de Psychologie Appliquée, 59, 265–277.

Parent, G., Guay, J. P., & Knight, R. A. (2011). An assessment of long-term risk of recidivism by adult sex offenders: One size doesn’t fit all. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 38, 188-209.

Prentky, R. A., Knight, R. A., & Lee, A. F. S. (1997). Risk factors associated with recidivism among extrafamilial child molesters. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 65, 141-149.

Prentky, R. A., Lee, A. F. S., Knight, R. A., & Cerce, D. (1997). Recidivism rates among child molesters and rapists: A methodological analysis. i, 635-659.

Thornton, D., & Knight, R. A. (2014). Construction and validation of SRA-Need Assessment. Sexual Abuse: Journal of Research and Treatment. DOI: 10.1177/1079063213511120.

Walters, G. D., Knight, R. A., & Thornton, D. (2009). The latent structure of sexual violence risk: A taxometric analysis of popular sex offender actuarial risk measures. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 36, 290-306.

Zgoba, K. M., Miner, M., Levenson, J., Knight, R., Letourneau, E., & Thornton, D. (2014). The Adam Walsh Act: An examination of sex offender risk and classification systems using data from four states. Manuscript submitted for publication.

Psychopathy, Antisociality, & Sexualization

Carter, D. L., Prentky, R. A., Knight, R. A., Vanderveer, P., & Boucher, R. (1987). Use of pornography in the criminal and developmental histories of sexual offenders. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 2, 196-211.

Graham, F., J., Walters, G. D., Harris, D. A., & Knight, R. A. (2014). Is hypersexuality dimensional or categorical? Evidence from male and female college samples. Manuscript submitted for publication.

Guay, J. P., Ruscio, J., Knight, R. A., & Hare, R. (2007). A taxometric analysis of the latent structure of psychopathy: Evidence for dimensionality. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 116, 701-716.

Harris, D. A., Smallbone, S., Dennison, S., & Knight, R. A. (2009). Offense specialization and versatility in the criminal histories of adult male sexual offenders referred for civil commitment. Journal of Criminal Justice. 37, 37-44.

Harris, D. A., Smallbone, S., Dennison, S., & Knight, R. A. (2009). Specialization and versatility in sexual offenders referred for civil commitment. Sex Offender Law Report, 10, 33-48.

Harris, D. A., Knight, R. A., Smallbone, S., & Dennison, S. (2011). Post-release specialization and versatility in sexual offenders referred for civil commitment. Sexual Abuse: Journal of Research and Treatment, 23(2), 243–259.

Knight, R. A. (2010). Is a diagnostic category for paraphilic coercive disorder defensible? Archives of Sexual Behavior, 39, 419-426.

Knight, R. A., & Guay, J. P. (2006). The role of psychopathy in sexual coercion against women. In C. J. Patrick (Ed.), Handbook of psychopathy (pp. 512-532). New York: The Guilford Press.

Knight, R. A., & Guay, J. -P. (in press). The role of psychopathy in sexual coercion against women: An update and expansion. In C. J. Patrick (Ed.), Handbook of psychopathy, Vol. II, (pp. XX-XX). New York: The Guilford Press.

Knight, R. A., & Thornton, D. (2011). A dialogue on paraphilia coercive disorder: Moving toward an empirically based consensus. Sex Offender Law Report, 12, 33, 43-46.

Knight, R. A., Sims-Knight, J. E., & Guay, J.-P. (2013). Is a separate disorder category defensible for paraphilic coercion? Journal of Criminal Justice, 41, 90-99. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2012.11.002.

Pedneault, A., Beauregard, E., Harris, D. A., & Knight, R. A. (2014). Rationally irrational: The case of sexual burglary. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment. Advance online publication, doi: 10.1177/1079063213511669.

Pedneault, A., Harris, D. A., & Knight, R. A. (2012). Toward a typology of sexual burglary: Latent class findings. Journal of Criminal Justice, 40, 278-284, doi:10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2012.05.004.

Pedneault, A., Harris, D. A., & Knight, R. A. (2014). An examination of escalation in burglaries committed by sexual offenders. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. doi: 10.1177/0306624X14533109.

Prentky, R. A., & Knight, R. A. (1986). Impulsivity in the lifestyle and criminal behavior of sexual offenders. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 13, 141-164.

Prentky, R. A., Knight, R. A., Lee, A. F. S., & Cerce, D. D. (1995). Predictive validity of lifestyle impulsivity for rapists. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 22, 106-128.

Robertson, C. A., & Knight, R. A. (2014). Relating sexual sadism and psychopathy to one another, non-sexual violence, and sexual crime behaviors. Aggressive Behavior, 40(1), 12-23. doi: 10.1002/ab.21505.

Ronis, S. T. & Knight, R. A. (2014). The role of sexual motivation in sexual offending behavior. Manuscript submitted for publication.

Walters, G. D., & Knight, R. A. (2010). Antisocial personality disorder with and without antecedent childhood conduct disorder: Does it make a difference? Journal of Personality Disorders, 24(2), 258-271.

Walters, G. D., Ermer, E., Knight, R. A., & Kiehl, K. A. (2014). Paralimbic biomarkers in a taxometric analysis of psychopathy: Does changing the indicators change the conclusion? Manuscript submitted for publication.

Walters, G. D., Knight, R. A., & Långström, N. (2011). Is hypersexuality dimensional? Evidence for the DSM-5 from general population and clinical samples, Archives of Sexual Behavior, 40(6), 1309-1321, DOI 10.1007/s10508-010-9719-8.

Walters, G. D., Knight, R. A., Grann, M., & Dahle, K-P. (2008). Incremental validity of the psychopathy checklist facet scores: Predicting release outcome in six samples. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 117, 396-405.

Walters, G. D., Marcus, D. K., Edens, J. F., Knight, R. A., & Sanford, G. (2011). In search of the psychopathic sexuality taxon: Indicator size does matter. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 29(1), 1-17.

Yoon, J., & Knight, R. A. (2011). Sexual material perception in sexually coercive males: Disattending deficit and its covariates. Sexual Abuse: Journal of Research and Treatment, 23(2), 275-292.

Yoon, J., & Knight, R. A. (in press). Emotional and attentional responses of individuals with psychopathic traits: The effects of emotional induction. Australian Journal of Psychology.