Abstract
Offender profiling methods become more sophisticated over time due to advancements in psychology, criminology, and forensic science. Offender profiling serves as an investigative instrument to assist law enforcement by reducing the number of prospective suspects. Offender profiling has been utilised in many criminal investigations, including those involving sexual offenders. This thesis aimed to construct a comprehensive Thai Rapist Profile by focusing on both offender characteristics and patterns of criminal behaviour.The Thai Rapist Profile was constructed through three main studies. The initial study involves interviewing fifty-four Thai incarcerated sexual offenders to discern their characteristics, with permission obtained to conduct these interviews within three major prisons housing a substantial number of sex offenders. In addition to the perspectives of sex offenders’ characteristics, two distinct groups of police officers contributed to this research: inquiry officers and forensic police, who collected comprehensive information related to rape incidents and bridged gaps in information surrounding rape cases by connecting forensic evidence to potential suspects.
The descriptive results from semi-structured interviews with Thai male sexual offenders unveils that the majority of rapists have turbulent relationships with their siblings, often stemming from socioeconomic factors and parental behaviours. Domestic violence within their families is prevalent. Educationally, most rapists attained only primary school-level education, with a significant portion experiencing school dropout, often linked to the onset of criminal behaviour.
The main result of this study is the Thai Rapist Profile, generated by analysing the SSA configuration. The profile encompasses four themes: Confident Interpersonal (Intimate), Interpersonal (Violent), Overtly Sexual, and Social Influence (Amateur Criminality).
Confident Interpersonal (Intimate): Reflects perpetrators’ awareness of the impact on victims, often involving alcohol, verbal communication, and physical contact.
Interpersonal (Violent): Encompasses aggressive motives and overt violence, with perpetrators displaying premeditation and forceful tactics.
Overtly Sexual: Encompasses sexual acts without explicit consent, further categorised into overt and covert sexual actions.
Social Influence: Suggests amateur criminal behaviour, marked by emotional experiences and unprofessional conduct.
The Thai Rapist Profile has significant implications for the investigative process, aiding inquiry officers, investigators, and forensic police in identifying and narrowing down suspects efficiently, saving time and resources. It equips them with a deeper understanding of the typology of rapists based on their criminal behaviour. It helps identify suspects efficiently, saving time and resources. The research also provides insights into the socioeconomic status of sex offenders in Thailand, offering insights for prevention and intervention programs. Addressing social problems and providing educational programs can help reduce crime rates. It introduces the novel concept of the Thai Rapist Profile and has the potential to inspire further research in the fields of Psychology and Criminology, encouraging the development of offender profiles using SSA analysis.
| Date of Award | 21 May 2025 |
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| Original language | English |
| Supervisor | John Synnott (Main Supervisor) & Maria Ioannou (Co-Supervisor) |