NCJ Number
146607
Journal
Journal of Adolescence Volume: 16 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1993) Pages: 397-405
Date Published
1993
Length
9 pages
Annotation
While similarities may exist between adults and adolescents who perpetrate sexual abuse, adolescent sexual abusers face different developmental issues than adults and the specific needs of adolescents sexual abusers cannot be fully understood by simply extrapolating knowledge derived from work with adult perpetrators.
Abstract
Sexual abuse perpetrated by adolescents against children is becoming increasingly recognized as a major problem. Adolescent perpetrators of sexual abuse are individuals who must negotiate developmental tasks associated with their stage of life. An assessment of adolescent sexual abusers must determine the nature and extent of delay in development both prior and subsequent to the onset of abusing behavior. An evaluation of each adolescent's personal resources (social skills, educational attainment, and self-esteem) and the social context in which he or she lives (family and peer relationships and educational and work opportunities) is important in determining the extent of developmental delay. Adolescent sexual abusers are at risk of abnormal development, and the risk of reoffending in adulthood is likely to be greater in adolescent sexual abusers who fail to deal with developmentally relevant tasks and acquire the life skills needed to cope with the demands of adulthood. Interventions aimed at minimizing disruptions in adolescent development are likely to be essential in preventing the continuance of adolescent sexual abuse into adulthood. 16 references