Offense History and Recidivism in Three Victim-age-based Groups of Juvenile Sex Offenders

Abstract

This study compared subgroups of juvenile sex offenders (JSOs) who victimized children (child offenders), peers (peer offenders), or both children and peers (mixed offenders) on sexual and nonsexual offense history, treatment outcomes, and recidivism to determine if these are distinct and valid subgroups. Though the group of mixed offenders was small, results showed that they exhibited a more diverse and more physically intrusive sexual offense history than the other JSOs and were less likely to successfully complete treatment. Sexual and nonsexual recidivism rates of mixed offenders did not differ from the other subgroups despite subgroup differences in juvenile sexual and nonsexual criminal records. However, differences in sexual recidivism rates of child versus peer offenders were found when the mixed offenders were either excluded from the sample or combined with child offenders. The results highlight the need to include mixed offenders in future research examining the etiology of sexual offending, treatment, and recidivism of JSOs.

Offender Types and Criminality Dimensions in Male Juveniles Convicted of Sexual Offenses

“…The findings regarding sexual and non-sexual re-offending of JSO-C compared to JSO-A are conflicting and still remain unclear (Hart-Kerkhoffs et al, 2009;Kahn & Chambers, 1991;Nisbet, Wilson, & Smallbone, 2004;Parks & Bard, 2006;Skubic Kemper & Kistner, 2007).…”

Developmental and offence-related characteristics of different types of adolescent sex offender: A community sample

“…comparing ASOs who target children with those who target peers/adults (cf. Hagan, Gust-Brey, Cho, & Dow, 2001;Hendricks & Bijleveld, 2004;Hsu & Starzynski, 1990;Kemper & Kistner, 2007;Parks & Bard, 2006). This follows a trend in research with adult sexual offenders where the distinction has heuristic, predictive and clinical utility, given the number of offence and offender-related variables associated with each group (e.g.…”

“…For example, adolescents targeting children are more likely to have male as well as female victims, whereas adolescents targeting peers/adults offend almost exclusively against females (Hendriks & Bijleveld, 2004;Kemper & Kistner, 2007;Worling, 1995a). In terms of their offending, adolescents targeting children are more likely to know their victims and to have sibling victims (Hunter, 2003;Hunter, Figuerdo, Malamuth, & Becker, 2003).…”

“…For example, adolescents targeting peers/ adults have been found to have higher rates of convictions for non-sexual offences than adolescents targeting children by some investigators (Kemper & Kistner, 2007), while others found no difference (Parks & Bard, 2006). Similarly, higher rates of suffering physical abuse have been identified among adolescents targeting children (Ford & Linney, 1995), but elsewhere among those targeting peers/adults (Awad & Saunders, 1991).…”

“…child as well as adult*victims have been investigated (Kemper & Kistner, 2007;Parks & Bard, 2006). Although tentative, given their small sample sizes (n 021 and n031, respectively), these studies suggest that adolescents who have targeted children as well as adults have more extensive sexual offence histories and were less likely to complete treatment.…”