Career
He is also adjunct professor of Sociology State University of New York at Albany. In 1994 Felson co-authored the controversial book "Aggression and Coercive Actions: A Social-Interactionist Perspective" with James Tedeschi. This book challenged the theory that rape was a crime motivated by an aggressive desire to dominate the victim.
Felson and Tedeschi argued that sexual fulfillment was a motive of rapists.
This book drew widespread criticism from academic circles. Robert Prentky the clinical director of Philadelphia"s Joseph J. Peters Institute argued that in a small number of cases sexual fulfillment was the motive.
However the overriding motive was dominance of the victim. Felson has stated that he believes rape is a terrible crime and that the motive does not excuse the actions of the perpetrator.
Most of Felson"s research is concerned with other aspects of violence.
He has studied, for example, the role of alcohol and drugs, the role of guns, and race and regional differences. In 2012, Felson was selected to deliver the annual Bruce Mayhew Lecture at the University of South Carolina. His lecture is entitled "Sexual Assault as a Crime Against Teenagers.".
