Understanding and assessing juvenile sexual offenders

Abstract

Over the past several decades, increasing attention has been focused on sexual abuse and problematic sexual behavior perpetrated by children and youth. The nature and scope of juvenile sexual offending is considerable. Nationwide, juveniles under the age of 18 make up just under 20% of those arrested for sexual offenses (Center for Sex Offender Management 2018). Juvenile sexual offenders (JSOs) are a specific subset of this population, encompassing “[a] person who has been convicted of a sexual offense and who is considered by law to be old enough to be held criminally responsible for the crime, but not so old as to be subject to the full range of adult criminal sanctions” (Barbaree and Marshall 2006, p. 3). While this is a concise definition, of note the cardinal criterion is not a specific behavior, but the interaction between a behavior and the justice system. As such, it is important to note that it is not until the youth has been found guilty or adjudicated in a court of law that the term “JSO” is technically accurate.