NCJ Number
118539
Journal
Journal of Adolescent Research Volume: 3 Issue: 3-4 Dated: (1988) Pages: 363-385
Date Published
1988
Length
23 pages
Annotation
Data from 34 juvenile sex offenders identified from records and interviews from a sample of 242 chronic violent offenders in 5 states formed the basis of an analysis of the causes and correlates of juvenile sex offenses.
Abstract
The sex offenders more often lived with their birth parents, while violent offenders often lived in single-parent families. Sex offenders had fewer nonviolent offenses, but more often had been incarcerated. Sex offenders had lower self-reported delinquency, fewer drug and alcohol problems, and less often were gang members. Their families, their siblings, and their friends also had less justice system involvement. However, sex offenders more often came from families with spousal violence, child abuse, and child sexual molestation, according to both official and self-reports. They appeared to be more sexually and socially isolated and less often to have female friends or to report sexual activity, interest, or experience. They had stronger beliefs in the law, but fewer internal behavioral controls. Findings suggested that juvenile sex offenders appear to be a hidden population, more closely resembling normative populations than delinquent populations on a variety of social and attitudinal characteristics. Tables and 53 references. (Author abstract modified)