Sex Offenses Under Study; Will It Alter Legal Codes?

By Robert S. Kleckner Sun-Times Staff Correspondent BLOOMINGTON, Ind. A comprehensive study of sex offenders and sex offenses under way at Indiana University may have great impact on future codes.

Just what is a sex "offense" and how prevalent are practices so designated under present laws? How many persons are violators of sex codes at one time or another? If the proportion is high should certain things now frowned upon be considered within the law?

Push Kinsey's Work These are some of the things under careful scientific study at Indian University's Institute for Sex Research, formerly headed by the noted Dr. Alfred C. Kinsey, who died Aug. 25 at 63.

The institute is now headed by Dr. Paul H. Gebhard as executive director and Dr. Wardell B. Pomeroy as director of field research. Along Along with Clyde E. Martin, the institute's statistician, they were close associates of Kinsey and are continuing the studies he mapped out along with many other facets they feel should be investigated.

Gebhard and Pomeroy told a Sun-Times reporter of the work and goals of the institute.

Gone was the mystery that surrounded the institute's activities and plans under Kinsey, who could be grim or humorous in turns but who often was hesitant to talk to newsmen about his work.

Studies Discussed

It wasn't that Kinsey didn't like people-it was that he feared "leaks" of piecemeal information might result in premature and inaccurate publication in the lay press of the work he felt should be made known only in technical books and journals.

Gebhard and Pomeroy, naturally, follow the ethical code of the scientists-that technical information go first to the scientific books and journals, but they are not afraid of the press. Sipping coffee and puffing on a cigaret, Gebhard said:

"For 18 years the team here has been collecting information, interviewing about 18,000 persons almost evenly divided between males and females.

"Each was asked a series of some 250 questions in confidential interviews and the results tabulated in 180,000 IBM cards.

"Over the years there had been time to analyze and classify details for only two books, one on the sexual behavior of males and the other on females, and a few minor articles.

"For some time to come, the emphasis will be on the study of the massive amounts of information we now have."

Sex Offenses Surveyed Particularly in the last five years the interviews had concentrated on adult sex offenders now in prisons and various socalled sex offenses.

One of the next books will deal with that material.