Characteristics of Youth Who Sexually Offend

SUMMARY

Sexual abuse by juveniles is widely recognized as a significant problem. As communities have become more aware of juvenile sex offending they have responded with increasingly severe responses. This is despite recidivism data suggesting that a relatively small group of juveniles commit repeat sexual offenses after there has been an official response to their sexual offending. Research has shown that juveniles who commit sexual offenses are a heterogeneous mix, varying according to a wide range of variables. This article provides an overview of the characteristics of youths who have committed sex offenses. Factors that will be discussed include types of offending behaviors, family environment, histories of child maltreatment, social skills and interpersonal relationships, sexual knowledge and experiences, academic and cognitive functioning, and mental health.     

Adolescent females who have sexually offended: comparisons with delinquent adolescent female offenders and adolescent males who sexually offend

Very little is known about adolescent females who commit sexual offenses. In this two-part exploratory study, a sample of 11 adolescent females with sexual offense histories is described. In Study I, the sample is compared to an age-matched sample of 11 adolescent females with non-sexual victim-involved offense histories. The sexually offending group had significantly fewer antisocial behavior problems, such as alcohol or drug use problems, problems with fighting, or problems at school. They began their offense behaviors at younger ages than their non-sex offending delinquent peers. Few differences emerged with respect to attitudes about offense behaviors, such as level of denial. In Study II, the same sample of females with sex offense histories was compared with a group of age-matched adolescent males with sex offense histories. The two sex-offending groups were found to be remarkably similar. There were few differences with respect to psychosocial and criminal histories, antisocial behavior, and variables related to clinical presentation and treatment (e.g., level of denial about offense). Likewise, the two groups are remarkably similar with respect to specific sex offense behaviors. The females, however, appear to have experienced more severe and pervasive abuse compared to the males.     

Sexual Offending in Adolescence: A Comparison of Sibling Offenders and Nonsibling Offenders across Domains of Risk and Treatment Need

Sibling sexual offending has received limited empirical attention, despite estimates that approximately half of all adolescent-perpetrated sexual offenses involve a sibling victim. The present study addresses this gap by examining male adolescent sibling (n = 100) and nonsibling offenders (n = 66) with regard to maltreatment histories and scores on two adolescent risk/need assessment instruments, the ERASOR and YLS/CMI. Adolescents who sexually abused a sibling, versus a nonsibling, were more likely to have histories of sexual abuse and been exposed to domestic violence and pornography. There were no group differences on ERASOR and YLS/CMI scales. This study adds to the limited discourse on sibling sexual offending and the larger literature on the heterogeneity of adolescents who have sexually offended.     

Sexual offending in adolescence: a comparison of sibling offenders and nonsibling offenders across domains of risk and treatment need

Sibling sexual offending has received limited empirical attention, despite estimates that approximately half of all adolescent-perpetrated sexual offenses involve a sibling victim. The present study addresses this gap by examining male adolescent sibling (n = 100) and nonsibling offenders (n = 66) with regard to maltreatment histories and scores on two adolescent risk/need assessment instruments, the ERASOR and YLS/CMI. Adolescents who sexually abused a sibling, versus a nonsibling, were more likely to have histories of sexual abuse and been exposed to domestic violence and pornography. There were no group differences on ERASOR and YLS/CMI scales. This study adds to the limited discourse on sibling sexual offending and the larger literature on the heterogeneity of adolescents who have sexually offended.     

Cognitive distortions about sex and sexual offending: a comparison of sex offending girls, delinquent girls, and girls from the community

Cognitive distortions about sexual offending were examined in 11 girls who committed sexual offenses, 12 girls who committed non-sexual criminal offenses, and 21 girls with no history of sexual of non-sexual offending. Participants responded to 12 vignettes that described sexual contact between an adolescent girl and a younger boy. The vignettes varied with respect to the sexual contact portrayed and the victim's response. Girls who had sexually offended were more likely to endorse statements reflecting the belief that the offender in a sexually aggressive vignette was not responsible for initiating the sexual contact. In addition, when the victim's response to the sexual contact was clearly negative, and the degree of contact was more serious, girls who had sexually offended demonstrated more distorted beliefs about the victim than the other two groups. Similarities and differences between the current findings and studies of distorted thinking in male sexual offenders are discussed.     

Victim to Victimizer: The Psychology of Isomorphism in a Case of a Recidivist Pedophile in Finland

ABSTRACT

An extreme case of a six victim, 38-year-old recidivist sex offender was selected for examining the isomorphic relationships between child sexual abuse trauma and adult sex offenses. This sex offender had victimized children of both sexes and an adult woman. Life history, letter, file, and the Adult Attachment Interview information were analyzed to seek the relations between childhood abuse experiences and adult offending. Both subjective reports and file data revealed that the man had experienced severe physical, psychological, and sexual abuse in childhood. His pattern of sexual offending against children was similar to his own experiences of sexual abuse by his father. The age of the child victims fell in the range of his age at the time of the childhood sexual abuse. Moreover, the use of coercion to gain victim compliance resembled the way his father had acted towards him. The pedophile's offending behavior was interpreted using the isomorphic and attachment perspectives.     

Female Juvenile Sexual Offenders: Understanding Who They Are and Possible Steps That May Prevent Some Girls From Offending

In recent years, there has been accumulating evidence that sexual abuse committed by females is not rare and can be just as traumatic as sexual abuse committed by males. Despite the increased recognition given to sex offending by adult women, however, very little attention has been given to sex offenses committed by juvenile females. There has further been very little published material that has focused specifically on intervening with female children and adolescents before they offend. In an attempt to fill this gap, this article describes common characteristics of juvenile female sex offenders, ways in which juvenile female sex offenders are similar to and different from juvenile male sex offenders, and the limitations that exist related to our knowledge about these offenders. Based on this information, suggestions are given for possible ways to intervene in the lives of at-risk female youth before they offend.     

How Common is Men's Self-Reported Sexual Interest in Prepubescent Children?

Consistent evidence exists for sexual interest in children in nonclinical/nonforensic male populations. However, prevalences for community men's self-reported sexual interest in children have been based on indiscriminate definitions including postpubescent individuals, age-restricted samples, and/or small convenience samples. The present research assessed men's self-reported sexual interest in children (including child prostitution and child sex tourism) on the community level and examined the link between strictly defined sexual fantasies and behaviors involving prepubescent children. In an online survey of 8,718 German men, 4.1% reported sexual fantasies involving prepubescent children, 3.2% reported sexual offending against prepubescent children, and 0.1% reported a pedophilic sexual preference. Sexual fantasies involving prepubescent children were positively related to sexual offending against prepubescent children. Sexual interest in children was associated with subjectively perceived need for therapeutic help. In contrast to findings from forensic samples, men who reported child pornography use exclusively were identified as a subgroup differing from contact sexual offenders against prepubescent children and men who reported both child pornography use and contact sexual offenses against prepubescent children. The empirical link between child-related sexual fantasies and sexual victimization of prepubescent children and high levels of subjective distress from this inclination underscore the importance of evidence-based child sexual abuse prevention approaches in the community. Findings are discussed in terms of their relation to pedophilic disorder.     

The use of sexually explicit stimuli by rapists,child molesters,and nonoffenders

Retrospective recall provided the basis for estimating the use of sexually explicit materials by sex offenders (voluntary outpatients) and nonoffenders during pubescence, as well as currently. Offenders were also asked about their use of such materials as incitors to offend. The sexual materials of concern were restricted to magazines, films, or videotapes depicting very explicit consenting sex between adults, a man forcing sex upon a woman, and sex between an adult male and a child. Twenty‐three rapists and 51 men who molested children other than their own (i.e. child molesters) reported significantly greater use of materials than was indicated by either incest offenders or nonoffender controls. Rapists and child molesters reported frequent use of these materials while preparing themselves to commit an offense. Current use was significantly related to the chronicity of their sexual offending (as revealed by number of victims) amongst the child molesters and to laboratory‐assessed sexual preferences for children in the heterosexual child molesters.     

Male Juveniles with Sexual Behavior Problems: Are There Differences Among Racial Groups?

This study used archival data on a sample of 186,492 referrals from a southwestern state Juvenile Probation Commission to compare the characteristics of 5,439 male Black, Hispanic, and White juveniles with sexual behavior problems on the five most common sexual offenses in the data set. The characteristics of 181,053 juveniles of the three races without sexual behavior problems were also compared on the basis of the seven most common nonsexual offenses. The bases of comparison were the seven variables: reported incidence of sexual offenses, the primary caregivers or living arrangements, age, suspected sexual abuse, suspected emotional abuse, suspected physical abuse, and special education status, on which racial differences were found. Prevention and treatment implications of findings are discussed.     

Culturally Competent Practice with African American Juvenile Sex Offenders

African American juveniles adjudicated for sexual offenses may struggle with the mistrust of both the judicial and treatment systems. Unlike general mental health services, juvenile sex offender treatment is often mandated by the court or child welfare services, thus these youths and their families must engage in the treatment process. Without clinicians and services that can acknowledge and respond to a minority youth’s experience in a sensitive, culturally competent manner, there could be significant resistance to treatment. Traditional treatment approaches fail to prioritize issues involving cultural competence. This article addresses the unique challenges of African American juvenile sex offenders and makes recommendations for creating culturally competent practice for these youth and their families.     

Interpreting Child Sexual Abuse: The Impact of Victim Response

There is little empirical knowledge about whether the interpretation process of child sex offenders is offense-supportive in nature and contributes to the offending process. Vignettes were developed to compare child sex offenders’ and nonoffenders’ interpretations of child molestation incidents after ambiguous and nonambiguous victim responses. Results showed that child sex offenders’ (N = 60) interpretations did not differ from nonoffenders’ (N = 40) interpretations. Overall, the more ambiguous the child responses, the more child complicity and child benefit was seen. Our results indicate that offense-supportive interpretations are not unique to child sex offenders. The mechanisms that are responsible for whether or not to commit a sexual offense should be unraveled and treated, to prevent deviant processes to be activated.     

Treatment of Pedophilia with Leuprolide Acetate

Abstract

To date, the literature on the treatment of individuals who have committed sexual offenses has focused primarily on psychotherapeutic interventions and the use of antiandrogens. Recently case reports and small series supporting the efficacy of other psychiatric medication, such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors, have been published. Only a few publications have looked at the efficacy of leuprolide acetate, an LH-RH antagonist, in treatment of sex offenders. Leuprolide acetate has advantages in terms of less side effects and greater safety during administration when compared to other antiandrogens. In this paper we report on the use of leuprolide acetate in an individual who meets criteria for pedophilia and has multiple other comorbid psychiatric diagnoses. The case report illustrates that leuprolide acetate can be effective in decreasing pedophilic fantasies, urges and behaviors. In addition, individuals who receive effective individualized pharmacotherapeutic treatment for compulsive sexual urges and comorbid psychiatric conditions also respond better to psychotherapeutic interventions.     

Eating Disordered Behaviors and Body Disapproval in Adolescent Males Adjudicated for Sexual and Nonsexual Crimes

Using a large sample of adjudicated delinquent male youth (N = 696), we compared data from youth who had been adjudicated for sexually aggressive crimes and those who had been adjudicated for nonsexual offenses on eating dysfunction, body disapproval, history of sexual abuse, and pornography exposure. The sample included 526 (75.8%) youth adjudicated for sexual offenses and 170 (24.4%) youth adjudicated for nonsexual crimes. The average age of the sample was 16.8 years (SD = 1.6), and approximately half of the sample (47.7%, n = 310) self-identified as White. The results of hierarchical multiple regressions indicated that sexually aggressive youth scored significantly higher than nonsexually offending youth on both eating dysfunction and body disapproval measures. Pornography exposure and substance use predicted body disapproval and eating dysfunction in the entire sample of adjudicated youth. History of sexual abuse was a significant predictor of body disapproval in all adjudicated youth but was not a significant predictor of eating dysfunction. Implications for research and practice are offered.     

Dealing with a problem that doesn't exist? Professional responses to female perpetrated child sexual abuse

Female involvement in sexual offences against children is more common than is generally thought and has serious implications for the long‐term emotional and psychological well‐being of victims. Drawing on findings from: a comprehensive review of the literature; an overview of relevant literature and legislation; and an electronic survey of Multi‐Agency Public Protection Panels; this paper explores the criminal justice response to female sex offending in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The literature highlights that the way in which professionals identify and respond to child sexual abuse has been shown to be influenced by the gender of the perpetrator. Equally, whilst similar to male sex offending in terms of the intrusiveness and seriousness of the abuse, some aspects of female sex offending can cause particular problems for professionals. The fact that some sexual abuse can be disguised as childcare can make it difficult for professionals to identify this type of abuse whilst high rates of co‐offending bring additional difficulties in determining the degree of female involvement and assigning responsibility. The survey findings indicate that risk assessment tools for female sex offenders is a key area requiring development and point towards small inconsistencies in the current practice of risk assessing females in the community. The survey also identifies the lack of treatment programmes for this group of offenders as well as drawing attention to the need for national policies and procedures, staff training and the identification of areas of good practice. Increased discussion and debate about how best to work with this group of sex offenders is also required. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

THE SEX RATIO AND WOMEN'S INVOLVEMENT IN CRIME: A CROSS-NATIONAL ANALYSIS

By extending an influential theory relating societal-level sex ratios to women's life circumstances (Guttentag and Secord 1983), this article formulates hypotheses linking the sex ratio with three dimensions of women's involvement in crime: (1) women's victimization, (2) the protection given to women by the criminal justice system, and (3) women's criminal offending. These hypotheses are then tested with data from approximately 60 countries. The results suggest that a relative undersupply of women (i.e., a high sex ratio) decreases significantly women's criminal offending rate (as indicated by the ratio of female–to–male arrest rates for theft). The hypothesis that the sex ratio increases the protection from crime afforded women (as indicated by the percent of rape cases solved by police) receives guarded support. These findings accord with the sex-ratio thesis, which suggests that in high sex-ratio societies women will be highly valued and their roles limited to the family, where opportunities to commit property crimes are minimal. Contrary to our hypothesis, however, the sex ratio does not significantly influence the female homicide victimization rate. Finally, the level of socioeconomic development, as measured by a multi-item index, is shown to have a substantial influence on sex differences in homicide victimization and theft offending.     

Treatment Experiences of Child Sexual Offenders in Norway: A Qualitative Study

This article is an attempt at gaining a better understanding of treatment of adults who have committed sexual offenses against children. In this study we aimed to explore what people who have committed sexual offenses against children find useful in therapy. The study was approached using qualitative methodology, and information was collected through semistructured interviews. Four male child sexual offenders were recruited from the Institute of Clinical Sexology and Therapy in Oslo, Norway. The informants were interviewed with a focus on what factors they found useful in therapy. Through an explorative, thematic analysis, five main themes were found. These themes include: “Why I started going to therapy,” “Why did I do it?” “Therapy as life,” “Previous and current relationships with others,” and “I lived in a fantasy world where everything was okay.” Based on this study and other earlier studies and theories it appears that the previously mentioned themes recur as important contributory factors in the treatment of child sexual offenders.     

Social Workers' Attributions for Sexual Offending Against Children

ABSTRACT

This study examined the reasons given by social workers and social work students for sexual offenses against children in New Zealand. Qualified and student social workers were asked to give the reasons why they think men sexually offend against children. A Grounded Theory methodology was applied to the reasons given for sexual offending and a set of eight categories derived from the data. These categories were then used to compare the types of reasons given by the two subject groups. The results suggested that both social workers and students (within group analysis) were more likely to cite power/control as a reason for offending. Social workers also made significantly more attributions than students. There were no other differences in the frequency with which reasons were cited between qualified and unqualified social workers although gender did emerge as a significant factor. Power and control emerged as the most important differentiating factor, with females tending to be more likely to give an answer which fits into this category. Sexual motivation was the next major reason on which differences were found, with females being less likely to explain the occurrence of sexual offending by reference to this factor. The research, educational, and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.