PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES ♦ http://ps.psychiatryonline.org ♦ March 2004 Vol. 55 No. 3 323 BOOK REVIEWS study with previous findings among adults, Myers concludes with a typol- ogy of juvenile sexual murderers that is based largely on perpetrators’ per- sonalities, motivations for crime, and other characteristics of crime. Given the very low incidence of these crimes among young offenders, Myers should be commended for conducting this study, the largest study of its kind. The book is written in plain language, making it useful to a wide variety of practitioners and other individuals from nonacademic backgrounds. In this vein, the case ex- amples are cleverly illustrated to complement the concepts. The au- thor is adept at contextualizing the characteristics of his target group through comparisons with the litera- ture on adult sexual murderers, adult sex offenders, and serial killers. In line with his stated purpose of identifying potential offenders and victims, Myers provides rich informa- tion about events that precipitate ju- venile sexual homicide—for example, substance use—and the likely time and place for them to occur. Finally, the findings may dispel myths that anger and antisocial personalities commonly precipitate these heinous acts, which may discourage practi- tioners from discounting delinquents with inadequate, avoidant, or schizo- typal characteristics. Despite these advantages, this book’s usefulness for the identifica- tion of potential adolescent sexual murderers is limited. An obvious problem, as Myers notes, is our abili- ty to generalize from the characteris- tics of only 16 individuals. The low in- cidence of such crimes means that this problem is not easily rectifiable. However, the applicability of these findings to the identification of high- risk juveniles could have been ex- tended. The characteristics of these juveniles overlapped substantially with those of serious and violent delinquents in terms of their high in- cidence of past criminality, adverse family backgrounds, and maladaptive psychosocial adjustment (1). How do we predict which individuals will go on to commit sexual homicide? In this sense, an improvement would involve reviewing the literature to determine characteristics that differentiate sexu- al murderers from other serious delinquents or including a control group. On a cautionary note, the author’s typology and hypotheses rely heavily on personality disorders, a question- able practice given the complications of diagnosing personality disorders during adolescence, particularly with respect to psychopathy (2,3). References 1. Corrado RR, Roesch R, Hart SD, et al (eds): Multi-Problem Violent Youth: A Foundation for Comparative Research on Needs, Interventions, and Outcomes. Ams- terdam, IOS Press, 2002 2. Hart SD, Watt K, Vincent GM: Commen- tary on Seagrave and Grisso: impressions of the state of the art. Law and Human Be- havior 26:241–246, 2002 3. Seagrave D, Grisso T: Adolescent develop- ment and the measurement of juvenile psy- chopathy. Law and Human Behavior 26: 219–239, 2002 Ethical Dilemmas: Sexuality and Developmental Disability edited by Dorothy M. Griffiths, Ph.D., Debbie Richards, Paul Federoff, M.D., F.R.C.P., and Shelley L. Watson, M.Ed.; Kingston, New York, NADD Press, 2002, 483 pages, $34.95 softcover Katherine McLaughlin T here is a myth that people with developmental disabilities are not sexual. Ethical Dilemmas: Sexual- ity and Developmental Disabilities dispels this myth by clearly delivering three vital messages: people with de- velopmental disabilities are sexual beings and have the right to be sexu- al; sex and sexuality are positive as- pects of all people’s lives; and it is our responsibility and duty as profession- als to provide persons who have de- velopmental disabilities with support and information about sexuality. These messages, along with the overview of issues that can and will arise when sexuality is addressed among people with developmental disabilities, make Ethical Dilemmas an invaluable resource. The topics addressed in this book were determined by a survey of pro- fessionals who work directly with people who have developmental dis- abilities, which was followed by a con- ference to discuss the selected topics. The authors found that professionals made daily decisions having to do with sexuality, yet they did not have much guidance or understanding of the relevant issues in order to make these decisions. The purpose of the book, therefore, is to inform profes- sionals of the myriad ethical dilem- mas that appear when approaching this topic and how to work through these dilemmas in the best interest of the people they work with. In addi- tion, the book will hopefully inspire further research and focus on this un- derserved population. Topics addressed include develop- ing agency policies on sexual behav- ior, consent in sexual relations, sexual- ity education, prevention of sexual abuse, parents who have intellectual disabilities, inappropriate sexual be- haviors, working with sexual offend- ers, and sexual offense and the legal system. Two chapters in particular highlight what are perhaps the most important ideas around sexuality and developmental disabilities: the chap- ter on sexual policies in agencies that support persons with developmental disabilities, and the chapter on sexu- ality education. Using scenarios, the authors demonstrate the need for up- to-date, sex-positive, and inclusive agency policies surrounding behavior. In one scenario, a staff person in an agency that has long ignored sexuality issues abuses a man who has a devel- opmental disability. Because there was never any discussion about ap- propriate touch, the man with the de- velopmental disability had no idea that this touch was abusive, and no procedures were in place for report- Ms. McLaughlin is affiliated with Planned Parenthood in Keene, New Hampshire.