Shannon Vettor
PhD
Associate Teaching Professor
Forensic PsychologyFaculty of Social Science and Humanities
Dr. Vettor's research is focused on offender characteristics and behaviours to aid in criminal investigations and reduce victimization.
shannon.vettor@ontariotechu.ca
905.721.8668 ext. 5845
Areas of expertise
- PhD - Forensic Psychology University of Birmingham, UK 2012
- MSc - Psychology and Investigation University of Liverpool, UK 2005
- Honours BSc - Double Major in Psychology, and Crime and Deviance University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario 2003
Rapists and Sexual Murderers: Combined Pathways to Offending
Miami, Florida March 2, 20112011 Annual Meeting of the American Psychology-Law Society/4th International Congress on Psychology and Law
Routine Activities and Rational Choice: Towards an Integrated Theory of Offender Profiling
Miami, Florida March 2, 2011Poster Presentation, 2011 Annual Meeting of the American Psychology-Law Society/4th International Congress on Psychology and Law
Is the Sexual Murderer a Unique Type of Offender? A Typology of Violent Sexual Offenders Using Crime Scene Behaviours
Published in Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment Vol 28, Issue 6 September 1, 2016Jay Healey, Eric Beauregard, Anthony Beech & Shannon Vettor
The empirical literature on sexual homicide has posited the sexual murderer as a unique type of offender who is qualitatively different from other types of offenders. However, recent research has suggested that sexual homicide is a dynamic crime and that sexual assaults can escalate to homicide when specific situational factors are present. This study simultaneously explored the utility of the sexual murderer as a unique type of offender hypothesis and sexual homicide as a differential outcome of sexual assaults hypothesis. This study is based on a sample of 342 males who were convicted of committing a violent sexual offense, which resulted in either physical injury or death of the victim.
Predicting Sexual Reoffending in a UK Sample of Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities
Published in Journal of Sexual Aggression March 1, 2012Helen Louise Griffin & Shannon Vettor
The current study aimed to address the paucity of research and assessment tools for adolescent males with intellectual disabilities who have sexually harmed, by comparing the predictive accuracy of the AIM2 assessment, developed with populations without intellectual disabilities, and the adapted AIM assessment, designed for this group.
Rapists and Sexual Murderers: Combined Pathways to Offending, Pathways to Sexual Aggression
Published in Routledge: Taylor & Francis Group January 1, 2014Shannon Vettor
The authors of this book review theoretical and empirical models of the processes that lead men to sexually assault children or women, whilst also presenting new results and models on this topic. In particular, this book focuses on empirical analyses of the pathways of six types of sexual aggressors, three of which (marital rapists, hebephilic sexual aggressors, and polymorphic sexual aggressors) have never been investigated before.
Book Chapter: Offender Profiling: A Review and Critique of the Approaches and Major Assumptions, Crime: International Perspectives, Socioeconomic Factors and Psychological Implications
Published in Nova Science Publishers January 1, 2014Shannon Vettor
In this book, the authors discuss crime issues from an international perspective, with a focus on socioeconomic factors and psychological implications. Topics include a qualitative analysis of contemporary Australian prison exit issues including prisoner re-entry and prisoner reintegration; offender profiling; hate crime in the U.S. and its relevant factors; stories of rape victims struggles and survival; a European examination of youth sexual aggression and victimization; positive psychology, offender rehabilitation and restorative justice; the effects of crime on marriages, divorce and births to single mothers in bordering states of Mexico; a comparison of geospatial data concerning crime in China and in the U.S.; prosecution of while collar criminals; and the question of whether stigmatized minorities are over-represented in delinquency in France.
Predicting Sexual Reoffending in a UK Sample of Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities
Published in Journal of Sexual Aggression March 1, 2012Helen Louise Griffin & Shannon Vettor
The current study aimed to address the paucity of research and assessment tools for adolescent males with intellectual disabilities who have sexually harmed, by comparing the predictive accuracy of the AIM2 assessment, developed with populations without intellectual disabilities, and the adapted AIM assessment, designed for this group.
University of Toronto Department of Medicine
- Introduction to Psychology (PSYC 1000U)
This course introduces students to the study of human thought and behaviour. Through a survey of major theories, principles, and research findings across a variety of fields within psychology, students will gain a better understanding of why people think and behave as they do. Typical topics include: the history of psychology, research methods, sensation and perception, learning, memory, emotion and motivation, consciousness, stress and health, social influences, developmental factors, psychological disorders and treatment. - Developmental Psychology (PSYC 2010U)
This course is a comprehensive study of human development across the lifespan from a developmental psychology perspective. The course examines developmental processes and milestones of the individual from conception through late adulthood, with particular emphasis on behavioural and cognitive development. Students will be introduced to the major psychological theories, theorists, and controversies in the field of human development. - Social Psychology (PSYC 2020U)
This course will introduce the scientific study of social behaviour and the social influences on human behaviour. Theories and research on such topics as attitude change and persuasion, stereotypes and prejudice, conformity and obedience to authority, altruism, attraction and close relationships may be introduced. Emphasis will be placed on experimental research, conducted both in the laboratory and in the field. - Personality Psychology (PSYC 3060U)
This course will introduce different theoretical perspectives to the psychological study of personality. Approaches to human personality may include psychoanalytical, cognitive, humanistic, dispositional, behavioural, and biological. Methodological issues will also be discussed. Similarities and differences between the theories will be noted, as will empirical studies that have either supported or failed to support these ideas. - Investigative Psychology (PSYC 3400U)
This course will review various aspects of investigative psychology, including psychological and geographic profiling. Topics will include history of profiling research and practice, contemporary investigative psychological research and practice, and evaluation of profiling and investigative psychology research methods. - Eyewitness Psychology (PSYC 3320U)
This course will review eyewitness memory from a psychological science perspective. The topics to be reviewed may include: reliability of eyewitness recall and identification accuracy, the role of eyewitness memory in conviction of the innocent, factors influencing the accuracy of eyewitness memory, methods of improving eyewitness memory, law and practitioner evaluations of eyewitness memory, and the implications of eyewitness research for justice system practices and policies. - Special Topics (Psychology of Criminal Behaviours) (PSYC 3999U)
This course will not always be offered and the topic of the course will change. When it is offered, this course will focus on an area of Forensic Psychology not currently covered by the other Forensic Psychology electives or Special Topics courses. When offered, this course will display a subtitle so that students know the general area that the course will cover. - Special Topics (Offending Profiling) (PSYC 4999U)
This course will not always be offered and the topic of the course will change. When it is offered, this course will focus on an area of Forensic Psychology not currently covered by the other Forensic Psychology electives or Special Topics courses. When offered, this course will display a subtitle so that students know the general area that the course will cover. Special Topics in Forensic Psychology I is completely independent from this course and students are encouraged to enrol in Special Topics in Forensic Psychology II whether they have taken Special Topics in Forensic Psychology I or not. This course may emphasize oral presentations, class participation, and other weekly in-class assessments.
