[Sexual abuse of children (section 176 StGB)--general practice of forensic perpetrator assessment].

Data from 28 paedophilic persons seen on the occasion of forensic psychiatric assessment are presented. These persons represented a remarkable 25% proportion of all sexual offenses seen at the department of forensic psychiatry between 1986 and 1992 (n = 111). Paedophilics were on the average elderly persons who tended to have a lower education level and achieved poorer results in intelligence testing (WIP-72). In their medical history, data on brain injury and child development retardation were not significantly more often available than from other sexual delinquents. Comparing persons accused because of paedophilic acts with those accused because of other sexual offenses the proportion of recurrent sexual offenses was not significantly different. Personality traits of paedophilics (FPI-A1) were dominated by signs of passive and dependent behaviour.