當我很好時，你應該提防：隱現於性罪犯治療週誌之再犯軌跡

When I'm“Good＂, You Should Watch Out: Computerized Text Analysis of Linguistic Trajectory of Sexual Re-Offense

在臺灣現行制度下，性侵害加害者一旦離開監獄就必須進入社區治療，然而隨著性罪犯追蹤監控的期程拉長，其再犯率也隨之上升，也就顯示日常生活流轉匯聚各式各樣的境遇，進而影響性再犯的危險因子，然在性罪犯社區處遇歷程中如何評估性犯罪者的再犯企圖一直是臨床實務上值得關注的問題。本個案報告嘗試分析隨時間軌跡的滾動，如何由性犯罪者之日常語言使用找出反映個人內在心理狀態之線索，藉此觀察性侵害加害者之語言徵兆變化情形與再犯之關聯。本個案報告藉由分析一名資料庫匯出之性侵害加害人於社區治療期間所書寫之雙週誌，連續紀錄將近一年直至其再犯性犯罪，共21篇記載其社區治療參與個人生活狀況之自由書寫，將相關內容透過「語文探索與字詞計算」（LIWC）軟體進行五項具有心理意義之文字變項的電腦化文本分析。研究結果發現語言風格透過長時間紀錄後可以觀察到該性犯罪者之再犯可能徵兆，特別是在總字詞數由多到少之變化、正負向情緒詞彙相反的變動態勢，以及誠實性指標呈現V型變化上，符合Ekman、Vrij、DePaulo等三研究團隊有關欺瞞理論之推衍，也因此本研究認為具有心理意義之文字變項可反映潛藏犯罪意圖的細微變化，而與後續再犯結果有關，亦可作為性犯罪者心理評估之參考指標，值得未來透過性犯罪者之大樣本數據分析加以檢證。

According to the current legal system in Taiwan, sex offenders must enter a community intervention program after being released from prison. However, recent research of sex offenders has suggested that over the longer term after offenders are released, they have a high rate of sexual re-offense. This shows that the daily struggles while returning to society might contribute to sexual re-offense in different ways, so as to impact the risk factor of sexual re-offense. Thus, assessing the re-offense attempts of sex offenders in the community intervention program is worthy of attention in clinical practice. However, considering the importance of monitoring linguistic behaviors, there is very little existing research that has empirically documented the language use of sex offenders and how that may impact recidivism of sexual offense. Therefore, the aim of this case report attempts to explore how sex offenders' state of minds are reflected in daily language use and how linguistic markers and sexual re-offense may be related. Pennebaker and his colleagues have provided excellent reviews of the psychological aspect in language use. They believe that either expressive writing or spoken language demonstrate cognitive reflective models. Instead of focusing on ＂what＂ is said by the individuals, paying attention to ＂how＂ the individuals say it is much more crucial. Furthermore, it opened a window for researchers to analyze the psychological vulnerabilities or risks of sex offenders as well as having further understanding of the underlining altered state of mind that is intertwined with the surroundings. Considering these concerns, this case study involved a biweekly log written by an ex-sex offender in a community intervention program. The time frame for the study lasted nearly one year until the re-offense occurred. A total of twenty-one free-writing diaries were analyzed with a computerized text analysis software, Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC). Beyond examining several categories of words with psychological meanings, such as negative and positive affect, this case study also applies higher-order algorithms based on LIWC dictionaries, including the index of complex thinking, the index of honesty, and the index of social-emotional style. Considering months as the analysis unit, the one-year period is divided into the initial stage (April to July), incubation stage (August to December) and action stage (January to March). The results suggested that the language style could possibly indicate signs of recidivism for sex offenders over the long-term while recording their thoughts. The language used during the action stage demonstrated four valuable language shifts compared to other stages. First, the total number of words continually decreased over time. Second, positive affect words decreased and negative affect words increased. Third, the index of complex thinking decreased. Fourth, the index of honesty rose with a V-shape. This result is aligned with the inference of the deception theory of Ekman, Vrij, and DePaulo. To conclude, the study may be of importance in explaining language with psychological meaning that could reflect subtle changes in hidden intention of crimes. In addition, the findings of the study also have implications for observing signs of deception and the subsequent re-offense from the written text. Thus, language analysis is proving to be a useful source for conducting psychological evaluation and risk management for sex offenders who under treatment. That said, the generalization of the results to other populations with different backgrounds may be limited, so more research is called for to expand the understanding of the language style of sex offenders.