In the last 15 years there has been a marked change in the evaluation and treatment of juveniles who commit aggressive or exploitative sexual acts. Previously such sexual misconduct was addressed with a “boys will be boys” attitude. The molestation of children and rape committed by children or teens were minimized. Often the offender received only token punishment. Sexually aggressive acts committed by youths were thought of as sexual experimentation and these incidents were seldom reported. When the situations did come to the attention of law enforcement or mental health professionals, there appeared to be a reluctance to treat such offenses as serious. However, largely through the self reports of adult offenders and the increasing number of reported violations, this perspective has changed. In extensive research carried out by various professionals (Groth & Loredo, 1981; Samenow, 1984), it has been noted that deviant patterns in thought and behavior emerge at an unexpectedly young age. In fact, most offenders commit their first offense between the ages of 8 and 16 (Groth & Loredo, 1981). Traditional methods of therapy have not been effective in deterring offenders from reoffending. However, a new form of treatment has been employed in the last 15 years that has focused on intervening in the maladaptive patterns of young offenders before they become more ingrained behaviors (Bengis, 1986; Lanyon, 1986; Ryan, 1987). This treatment procedure is based on a cognitive-behavioral model that is seen to be more effective than traditional therapies. The details in the model will vary in different treatment centers and the specifics will vary in different individuals. Nevertheless, the basic focus of treatment is to help the client understand the events, thoughts and feelings that lead to an offense and to develop strategies to deal with situations in ways that will impede or decrease the likelihood of an offense. Within this model one often hears the terms “offense cycle” and “relapse prevention.” Though the specifics may vary from one treatment center to another, the basic framework is consistent. An offense cycle is the circular chain of events, thoughts, fantasies and feelings that lead to an offense. This is followed by a period of decompensation consisting of superficial remorse and/or justification and pretend normal acting. Sex offenders do exhibit consistent patterns of feelings, fantasy and thought that precipitate an offense. The focus of treatment is for the clients to understand the specifics of their cycle. Relapse prevention consists of using this knowledge to develop methods of intervening in this cycle before an offense occurs. The earlier in the cycle the intervention takes place, the less risk there is to reoffend. It should be understood that most juvenile sex offender (J.S.O.) treatment programs do not focus on the etiology of behavior. Instead they are primarily concerned with enabling clients to understand the events, thoughts and feelings that lead to an offense. In order to identify this cycle, offenders must understand the situational, psychological and behavioral dynamics involved in the cycle. Though each individ-