A professionals’ perspective on typical characteristics of sexual offenders within the Maltese criminal justice system

Abstract

This dissertation provides a comprehensive overview of sex offenders in Malta, combining the perspectives of professionals in the field with an extensive literature review. Utilizing a qualitative approach, the study involves semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis to gain insights from professionals. The findings, derived from both primary interview data and secondary literature sources, contribute to a nuanced discussion. This study identified five main themes in the analysis of sex offenders in Malta. These themes included offender characteristics, behaviour patterns, the influence of social media, the local public perspective, and sex offending within the Maltese criminal justice system. The study revealed a relationship between recidivism and factors such as limited resources and supervision. Moreover, it revealed that sex offenders frequently attempt to minimize their responsibility, employing victimhood as a deceptive justification for their illicit actions. Findings from this study also highlight behaviour of a calculated and manipulative nature, which poses a significant risk of reoffending. Notably, differences in perspectives emerge between academic professionals, who have first-hand experience working directly with offenders, and currently active professionals in the field. Furthermore, the study concludes with limitations and recommendations for further studies and practices.