Juvenile Non-sex Offenders Research Articles

Examining Antisocial Behavioral Antecedents of Juvenile Sexual Offenders and Juvenile Non-Sexual Offenders

Prior studies have indicated that that there is an “antisocial” type of juvenile sex offender (JSO) that resembles juvenile non-sex offenders (JNSOs). However, a single categorization of all antisocial JSOs may be too broad given that there are different types of antisocial behavior (e.g., authority conflict, overt, covert). To clarify potential differences between JSOs and JNSOs, different antisocial behavior patterns should be explored and compared between these two groups. This study examined data on Canadian male incarcerated adolescent offenders to identify whether behavioral antecedents differed within JSOs (n = 51), and between JSOs and JNSOs (n = 94). Latent class analysis identified three behavioral groups. For both JSOs and JNSOs there was a Low Antisocial, Overt, and Covert group. Risk factors including offence history, abuse history, and family history were more strongly associated with the Overt and Covert groups compared to the Low Antisocial group. Overall, there were important within-group differences in the behavioral patterns of JSOs, but these differences resembled differences within their JNSO counterpart. Clinical implications for responding to incarcerated JSOs with behavioral problems are discussed.

The Impact of Juvenile Sex Offending on the Adult Criminal Career.

Although past studies demonstrated the heterogeneity of the criminal career patterns of juveniles with sexual offenses (JSOs), such studies did not directly assess whether JSOs have different adult offending outcomes compared with juvenile nonsex offenders. Using data on a subsample of males from the Incarcerated Serious and Violent Young Offender Study, JSOs (n = 78), juveniles with violent offenses (JVOs; n = 550), and juveniles with nonviolent offenses (JNVOs; n = 281) were compared across a variety of adult offending outcomes. JSOs were not associated with a specific trajectory of general offending in adulthood, nor were they associated with a range of adult criminal career parameters (e.g., frequency, severity, specialization, and versatility). However, a range of other indicators of juvenile offending were associated with general offending in adulthood. For juvenile males who experience incarceration, many elements of their offending history mattered for adult offending outcomes, but not sexual offending. Policy implications for treatment and management are discussed.

Do Developmental and Life-Course Theory Risk Factors Equally Predict Age of Onset Among Juvenile Sexual and Nonsexual Offenders?

Previous empirical inquiries into the etiology of juvenile sex offending have been largely atheoretical. Consequently, a call for studies conducted utilizing developmental and life-course (DLC) criminological theory has been made to better understand the onset, development, risk, and protective factors of juvenile sex offending. Therefore, this study contributes to the discussion by testing key predictions proposed by the DLC framework regarding the theoretical correlates of early onset offending, as applied to juvenile sex offenders (JSOs) and juvenile nonsex offenders (JNSOs). Drawing on a data set of more than 64,000 youth referred to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, results indicate that although the number and severity of risk factors for early age of onset differ between the JSOs and JNSOs, the specific type of risk factors that emerged align with DLC theory predictions. The implications of these findings and contributions for DLC theory are also discussed.

A Criminal Career Study of the Continuity and Discontinuity of Sex Offending during the Adolescence-Adulthood Transition: A Prospective Longitudinal Study of Incarcerated Youth

Longitudinal research has seriously challenged assumptions that juvenile sex offenders (JSO) are characterized by high level of dangerousness, mental health problems, and crime specialization in sex offenses. The current study examines the longitudinal pattern of offending among a sample of JSO and a sample of juvenile nonsex offenders. The research design includes longitudinal data over a nine-year period allowing the examination of offending patterns and the crime mix from age 12 to age 23. The findings highlight that, while JSO are prone to persist offending in adulthood, there is limited continuity of sex offending. Further, the findings stress the importance of taking into account nonsexual juvenile delinquency, more specifically, youth violence, to make a better assessment of early adult offending outcomes of JSO.

Juvenile Sex and Non-Sex Offenders: A Comparison of Recidivism and Risk

Forty male juvenile sex offenders were compared with 133 male juvenile non-sex offenders 2 years postrelease from residential treatment to assess recidivism and factors related to recidivism. Juvenile sex offenders had significantly lower recidivism rates than juvenile non-sex offenders.

Criminal Careers of Juvenile Sex and Nonsex Offenders

Developmental criminologists have criticized typologies of juvenile sex offenders (JSOs) for assuming that JSOs involved in nonsexual offending are a homogenous group. However, this criticism has remained largely conceptual. To help empirically address the validity of this criticism, offending trajectories from age 12 to 23 were measured for a sample of male JSOs ( n = 52) and juvenile nonsex offenders (JNSOs; n = 231) interviewed as part of the Incarcerated Serious and Violent Young Offender study. Within this predominantly Caucasian sample, whether offender status (JSO/JNSO) or risk factors were better indicators of trajectory group membership was examined. Four unique offending trajectories emerged, namely, a low-rate offending trajectory, a bell-shaped offending trajectory, a slow-rising chronic trajectory, and a high-rate chronic trajectory. The relatively equal distribution of JSOs in each trajectory indicated that the criminal behavior committed by this group was not expressed by just one pattern. Further, the prevalence of JSOs in each trajectory mirrored the prevalence of JNSOs in the same trajectory, suggesting that having a sex offense in adolescence was not informative of general offending patterns. Individual and familial-level risk/needs factors were better indicators of trajectory membership. Implications for existing typologies of JSOs are discussed.

Examining Antisocial Behavioral Antecedents of Juvenile Sexual Offenders and Juvenile Non-Sexual Offenders

In prospective longitudinal studies of juvenile offenders, the presence of multiple developmental pathways of antisocial behaviors has consistently been identified. An "antisocial" type of juvenile sex offender (JSO) has also been identified; however, whether antisocial JSOs follow different antisocial pathways has not been examined. In the current study, differences in antisocial pathways within JSOs and between JSOs and juvenile non-sex offenders (JNSOs) were examined. Data on Canadian male incarcerated adolescent offenders were used to identify whether behavioral antecedents differed within JSOs and between JSOs (n = 51) and JNSOs (n = 94). Using latent class analysis (LCA), three behavioral groups were identified. For both JSOs and JNSOs, there was a Low Antisocial, Overt, and Covert group. Overall, there were important within-group differences in the behavioral patterns of JSOs, but these differences resembled differences in the behavioral patterns of their JNSO counterpart. Risk factors including offense history, abuse history, and family history were more strongly associated with the Overt and Covert groups compared with the Low Antisocial group. Implications for JSO assessment practices were discussed.

Do adolescent child abusers, peer abusers, and non-sex offenders have different personality profiles?

The aim of this study was to identify two sub-populations of sex offenders based on the age of the victims and on the age difference between the abuser and the victim (child sexual abusers vs. peer sexual abusers), and to compare the personality characteristics of these two subgroups with those of juvenile non-sex offenders. The group was composed of 67 adolescent offenders aged 13-18years who were adjudicated for sexual offenses or non-sexual offenses: 20 non-sex offenders (JNSOs), 26 child sexual abusers (CAs), and 21 peer sexual abusers (PAs). The Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (MACI) was administered to all participants. The mean scores and clinical cutoffs on the MACI scales were compared across the three samples. Compared with PAs, CAs were more submissive and conforming, and they experienced more anxious feelings. Peer sexual abusers scored higher on the unruly and forceful personality scales, on social insensitivity, and on delinquent predisposition. Peer sexual abusers also reported higher scores on substance-abuse proneness, impulsive propensities, and antisocial functioning than CAs, but their scores were similar to those of JNSOs. Our results show clear similarities between PAs and JNSOs in terms of personality and clinical characteristics, especially with regard to antisocial personality traits. Child sexual abusers did not display the personality characteristics typical of PAs and JNSOs which predisposed them to delinquent activities. These results raise questions as to whether juvenile sex offenders should be treated within the same institutions as non-sex offenders and whether the same treatment programs should be implemented for all types of juvenile sex offenders.

Short-Term General Recidivism Risk of Juvenile Sex Offenders

It is important to examine whether general risk-assessment instruments developed for nonsex offenders can also be applied to sex offenders, because juvenile sex offenders are much more likely to reoffend with a nonsexual offense than a sexual offense. This study examined to what extent the Washington State Juvenile Court Prescreen Assessment (WSJCPA) can be used to assess the risk for general recidivism among different types of juvenile sex offenders. The predictive validity of the WSJCPA was examined separately for the following subgroups: boys convicted for a misdemeanor sexual offense against a peer (n = 381), boys convicted for a felony sexual offense against a peer (n = 282), boys convicted for a sexual offense against a younger child (n = 521), and girls convicted for a sexual offense (n = 71) and two comparison groups of male (n = 15,155) and female (n = 5,811) juvenile nonsex offenders. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve scores for general recidivism ranged between .64 and .73. The WSJCPA proved to be at least equally predictive of general offending among juvenile sex and nonsex offenders groups.

Violent Juvenile Sex Offenders Compared with Violent Juvenile Nonsex Offenders: Explorative Findings From the Pittsburgh Youth Study

Only a limited number of studies have compared the psychosocial characteristics of juvenile sex offenders and nonsex offenders. The results of these studies have often been contradictory. Furthermore, studies in normal population groups are rare and most of those studies have been conducted in specific populations. This paper reports on the findings of a prospective, longitudinal study, the Pittsburgh Youth Study, in which violent male sex offenders (n = 39) were compared with violent nonsex offenders (n = 430) based on 66 demographic and psychosocial characteristics. The findings show that the sex offenders resembled the nonsex violent offenders with respect to nearly all child, family, peer and demographic risk factors. Some suggestions are made with regard to future research.

Violent Juvenile Sex Offenders Compared with Violent Juvenile Nonsex Offenders: Explorative Findings From the Pittsburgh Youth Study

Only a limited number of studies have compared the psychosocial characteristics of juvenile sex offenders and nonsex offenders. The results of these studies have often been contradictory. Furthermore, studies in normal population groups are rare and most of those studies have been conducted in specific populations. This paper reports on the findings of a prospective, longitudinal study, the Pittsburgh Youth Study, in which violent male sex offenders (n = 39) were compared with violent nonsex offenders (n = 430) based on 66 demographic and psychosocial characteristics. The findings show that the sex offenders resembled the nonsex violent offenders with respect to nearly all child, family, peer and demographic risk factors. Some suggestions are made with regard to future research.

Eight-Year Comparative Analyses of Adolescent Rapists, Adolescent Child Molesters, Other Adolescent Delinquents, and the General Population

This study involved an 8-year comparative analysis of sexual assault among adolescent perpetrators of sexual assault against children, adolescent perpetrators of rape against same age or older peers, other adolescent delinquents, and the general population. Results of this study found that adolescent sex offenders were significantly more likely to sexually reoffend in the 8-year period after their release from a juvenile correctional facility than were a control group of other non–sex offending adolescent delinquents from the same institution. Juvenile non-sex offenders, child sexual offenders, and adolescent rapists were all found to be significantly more likely to be involved in sexual assaults than was the general male population in the United States.