This research on the recidivism of arsonists, rapists, and those under a restraining order (so-called index crime groups) was commissioned by the Criminal Sanctions Agency from the Criminal and Forensic Psychology Research Group of the Department of Psychology of the University of Helsinki. The research material, i.e. random samples gathered from the police database on reported offences, consists of those who have committed arson (N=184) or stranger rape (N=56) between 1993 and 2001, and those who have been placed under a restraining order (N=186) in 1999. The data on the recidivism of the persons mentioned above was retrieved from the police database on reported offences in the autumn 2004. The follow-up period of the persons varies between 3 and 11 years in this research.

During the follow-up period, 76% of the arsonists, 73% of the rapists, and 76% of those under a restraining order committed a crime defined in the Penal Code. On the whole, 76% of the research subjects reoffended during the follow-up period. More than half of the offences committed during the follow-up period were violent offences. A total of 49% of the research subjects committed property offences and 4% committed sexual offences. The recidivists committed an average of 19 different offences within the follow-up period. There was a connection between the number offences and the person’s age: younger offenders committed more offences during the follow-up period.

In total, 58% of all the research subjects had reoffended within six months of committing the index crime and 71% within the first twelve months. Based on the evaluation of each index crime group, those under a restraining order reoffended noticeably sooner than arsonists and rapists.

Examining each index crime group separately revealed that recidivism could be divided into crime types typical of each group. Compared to the other groups, the arsonists committed significantly more property offences during the follow-up period and 11% of them committed another arson. Committing sexual offences was significantly more common among convicted rapists than the other groups and 13% of the rapists committed another rape during the follow-up period. Those under a restraining order committed more violent offences than the other groups during the follow-up period.

In addition to the general features of recidivism, also the crime scene behaviour and the background characteristics of the offender during the index crime and the connection of those issues to recidivism in the case of each index crime group were studied with the help of statistical multivariate analysis methods. The results on the arsonists emphasise the significance of the crime history, suicidal behaviour, and substance abuse to recidivism. In the case of the rapists, recidivism was connected with the background characteristics of the criminal lifestyle. The person’s young age, features describing the person’s criminal lifestyle, and the level of violence of the harassment which lead to the restraining order were linked to recidivism of those under a restraining order.

Tuhopolttajien, raiskaajien ja lähestymiskieltoon määrättyjen henkilöiden uusintarikollisuus