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Pedophiles vs. Incarcerated Sex Offenders

Often "pedophile" is used as a synonym for people who have sex with children. This is not justified. The number of pedophiles among people incarcerated for sex with children is small.

". . . most data suggest that only a relatively small portion of the population of incarcerated sexual offenders against minors consists of persons for whom minors (particularly children) represent the exclusive or even primary object of sexual interest or source of arousal (Freund, Watson, & Dickey, 1991; Gebhard et al., 1965; Howells, 1981; Lang et al., 1988; Langevin, 1983; McCormack & Selvaggio, 1989; Marshall, Babaree, & Butt, 1988; Marshall & Eccles, 1991; Mohr et al., 1964; Quinsey, Chaplin, & Carrigan, 1979; Righton, 1981; Rowan, 1988; Schofield, 1965; Swanson, 1968)." (Okami 1992, p.303)

from Ianthe:

There was a study done by Sergeant Terrence Jones in Manchester's Obscene Publications Department, (as part of a Master's dissertation, I believe). He studied the prison population of those convicted for crimes against children - the figures were about 50 percent incestuous abusers; 10 percent claiming wrongful conviction (quite likely); a tiny percentage of dangerous mentally-ill rapists; and the rest consensual child-loving paedophiles.

A wider (unpublished) study by Detective Inspector Stuart Kirby of Lancashire Criminal Intelligence of those incidents merely 'reported to the police' in Lancashire (UK) identified only 7 percent 'genuine' child-loving paedophiles in its sample.