Guidelines for changing the behavior of elderly male prisoners who commit sexual crimes against children

Abstract

Background and Aims: Prisons are responsible for managing the sentences of offenders, including sexual crimes, particularly those committed by elderly individuals against children, who are often close acquaintances. This issue has been escalating due to social factors and external stimuli. This study aims to develop behavioral rehabilitation strategies for elderly inmates that align with community contexts to prevent reoffending after release. The objectives of the research titled “ Guidelines for Changing the Behavior of Elderly Male Prisoners Who Commit Sexual Crimes against Children” were: 1) to study the behavior condition of elderly male prisoners who committed sexual crimes against children, 2) to study guidelines for the development of changing the behavior of elderly male prisoners who committed sexual crimes against children, and 3) to evaluate program model for the development of changing the behavior of elderly male prisoners who committed sexual crimes against children.

Methodology: Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with 15 elderly male prisoners who voluntarily provided information on motives for committing the crimes, and 12 key informants to develop program for the development of changing the behavior of elderly male prisoners who committed sexual crimes against children that was appropriate for the context, and 6 experts to evaluate program model for the behavior development that was appropriate for the context using content analysis.

Results: The research results were found that the basic information showed that the prisoners were between 61 and 77 years of age, completed primary school, were farmers with monthly income less than 10,000 baht. In aspect of family, the prisoners were poor and had a low income that was not enough for expenses, the parents worked in other provinces and left the children with grandparents for raising. In social and community aspect, it was rural community with structural changes, became a skipped-generation society, local lifestyles and culture were changed, and the community was changed to urban community with high living costs and  reliance on external factors increasingly. In aspect of relationships with children, it was found that the relationship was related to relatives and close friends, most of them raised them. Other factors that caused crimes were caused from the offenders themselves used drugs, were intoxicated, and some were found to have abnormal physical and mental condition. In environmental aspect, it was not safe for children, lack of protection from parents working outside, and factors from the children themselves.

Conclusion: The results of the study on guidelines for the development of changing the behavior of elderly male prisoners who committed sexual crimes against children were as follows: The Department of Corrections’ behavior modification program should be applied to suit the context by using appropriate activities for their age and could be practically implemented in the community after the release of the prison, with the total number of 7 programs. The evaluation results were found that the appropriateness of the behavior development program to change the behavior of elderly male prisoners who committed sexual crimes against children at Khon Kaen Central Prison was rated at a high level ( = 4.467), with the morality and ethics program at the highest level (= 4.600), followed by the self-care skills education program (= 4.567), the mental development program (= 4.480), the basic occupation training program (= 4.467), the training program to avoid the use of drugs and alcohol to prevent and avoid sexual crimes among elderly males (= 4.433), the training program for elderly males who committed sexual crimes against children (= 4.400), and the therapeutic community program (= 4.324) respectively.