JUVENILE SEX OFFENDERS

Juvenile Sex Offenders

Juvenile Sex Offenders

Introduction

Many efforts have been made to classify juvenile sex offenders with the goal of improving treatment and risk prediction. Characteristics including personality, physical force, and nonsexual offense history have been used to classify juvenile offenders; however, the most common method uses victim age to classify JSOs into groups who victimize children (child molesters) and those who victimize peers (peer offenders). This stems largely from research on adult sexual offenders, in which there is considerable empirical support for the distinction between rapists and child molesters.

Thesis Statement

The discussion sought to take a holistic approach towards juvenile sex offenders. It was observed that there is an extensive volume of research on juvenile sex offenders and this research has shown that juvenile sex offenders account for a major part of modern society. Therefore, it is imperative to give this issue the importance that it merits. Juvenile sex offenders need to be integrated so that they can become a productive part of society. However, this will require the development of the justice system in lieu of the rehabilitation system that is available.

Discussion

The number of juveniles arrested for sexual crimes steadily increased from the mid 1980's through the mid-1990's and has been linked to an observed rise in juvenile perpetrated violence in the United States during the past decade. It is estimated that juveniles account for one-fifth of the rapes, and one-half of the cases of child sexual molestation, committed in the United States each year. Adolescent males are responsible for the majority of these assaults.

Subgroup differences on other characteristics commonly examined in samples of sexually abusive youth, however, are far less consistent. For example, some studies suggest that child molesters are deficient in general social skills (i.e., conversational skills, maturity, receiving and giving feedback; (Doreleijers, 2005), have problems interacting with peers, and are more socially isolated than peer offenders. Other studies, however, have not found social skills or popularity differences between child molesters and peer offenders, even when using measures of interpersonal functioning (selfreport, clinical ratings) and samples of sexual offenders (correctional, outpatient) that are similar to those in other studies.

The criteria for classifying JSOs as child molesters or peer offenders also vary across studies. Some studies have used victim age, whereas others have used offender-victim age discrepancies, or a combination of victim age and offender-victim age discrepancies (i.e., a child victim is younger than 10 or 12 years of age and 4 or more years younger than the offender; (Bard, 2006). In addition to differences in the classification methods (i.e., victim age, offender-victim age discrepancy), there are differences in the specific grouping criteria used within each method. For example, studies using victim age have used 10- and 12-year-old victims as the division between child and peer offenders; similarly, studies using offender-victim age discrepancies have used 3-year and 5-year age differences when classifying JSOs.

Supporting Evidence

Though there is evidence to show that adult rapists and child molesters differ on factors potentially related to etiology and maintenance of sexually deviant behavior, the ...